are you there blog world? it's me, Haley.

"You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you." ~ Joseph Campbell

Where to begin. I guess I could begin with where we ended but...no. I don't think I want to live all that again so I'm just not gonna go back that far. I do apologize, but if you knew you would thank me. Promise!


So. Hello!
Since we visited last I have made some major moves.
I just looked back to my last post, MAN it's been awhile.
Austin: I left at the end of June. Packed myself and my apartment into my little sedan all by myself after work one night and left the next morning. Dropped off my keys and that was that. Crazy. It went by so fast. I had a great time getting to visit with Karen again and exploring all that Austin had to offer.
Seaside: Two days later I was resting my head on the white beaches of Seaside, FL.  It was a wonderful vaca of course. Lots of sun, some lovely beach drinks prepared by only the best (my father), and lots of family time.

Camp Mitchell: Soon after the beach I became a kid again at camp. I spent a week on Petit Jean Mt. in Arkansas as a camp nurse. I always leave Camp Mitchell feeling SO refreshed. The work part was fun but the best part was simply being on the mountain and feeling needed. I truly feel so close to God when I am there. His power takes me by surprise every time. It is always such an emotional journey for me. It's the best feeling in the world. I hate leaving knowing that "life" will take over and that feeling will go away. I hate it. And...it did, life took over.

Arkansas: Yet again I find myself telling you that I spent the next month sitting at my parents house. What I did during this time I can't really recall. Time seemed to fly by and sit still all at the same time. The first weekend was a lovely one with Emily, Mary Evelyn, and Lauren who traveled a bit north for a weekend retreat. We had a blast catching up, eating, drinking, relaxing, and getting in some lake time. I also spent some of the month doing nothing but eating and sleeping. I did some things for Casie's wedding in October. I attempted to start and finish my college t-shirt quilt. I failed. I didn't blog. I felt sorry for myself because I couldn't get another travel job lined up. I thought I had one lined up for Houston and that feel through. I skyped with old friends. I tried to learn how to cook. I will say that I did not fail at that! I made some Christmas gifts. I did not run. I am still not running. Yea...that all sounds about right. Cool, huh?

Los Angeles: Next thing I knew I was in my car headed to LA. I set up the assignment at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and a week later I was on the road. Dad and I made a little trip out of the 1600 mile drive. We drove from Arkansas, through Oklahoma, into New Mexico in one day even with a detour to Santa Fe. We had a nice afternoon and night walking around downtown, people watching, enjoying the cooler weather, and eating yummy Mexican food. The next day we made the drive through New Mexico, Arizona, and California into LA (complete desert!!). In just two days we had driven half of the country and we felt great. We moved into my apt. that night and spent the rest of the weekend exploring my new home.

And here I am. I am working on the pediatric transplant unit at CHLA. It's funny because I told myself that I would never work on a transplant unit again after DC. I guess this is just a little friendly reminder that I do not control my future...as much as I wish I did. The hospital is amazing. We are in a new (one month old) building right on Sunset Blvd. The facility is great, the people are awesome, and the patients are pretty simple. A good gig I would say. Oh and the weather has been great. Warm but no 100 degree days with high humidity. I guess it's a good thing I did not end up in Houston.

I will let you all go for now. I guess I did end up telling you all of my life that you have missed since my last post. Sorry.?!

I will try to blog again soon about LA, my apt., life.

oh life!

but for now,

LIVE the LIFE

you have been given