As I sit here and right this, I am beyond relaxed. I’ve got some classical guitar music playing, the wind blowing in a nice breeze and I’m more rested than I’ve been in quite some time. I am officially vacationing and it rocks my world. I have a couple weeks off before summer semester starts and am feeling glad about my decision to spend it here in PA. I had played with the idea of a trip, but with funds low and the desire to chill high, decided against it.
School ended well. It was a highly sleep deprived couple of weeks, but I truly enjoyed my leadership clinical. For the first time in nursing school I was given the chance to take on a full patient load and really be in charge of all nursing care. The nurses precepting me were great and really stepped back to allow me the fullest experience possible. I directed my nurse rather than her directing me and had residents asking for my opinion about patients. It was a bit daunting and at times incredibly humbling, but the nurses I worked with were great and the kids, even better. I’m feeling more confident about my ability to do this job, and even more assured that pediatrics is where I belong.
During the middle of my leadership clinical I was graced by a visit from my super fun grandparents. We managed to pack a lot of fun into the weekend I spent with them including visits to Valley Forge, Villanova, St. Christopher’s, and touring around Philadelphia. We had dinner with a bunch of friends and it was great to be able to share a lot of my world with them. On Saturday we took a trip to the Italian Market and I am officially in love. TONS of fresh fruits, veggies, and herbs for amazing prices, accompanied by an array of specialty shops selling pastas, cheeses, meats, etc. The mix of sights, smells, and people left me somewhat nostalgic for the outdoor mercados of Latin America. That day was followed up with a dinner party at Kasey’s were a bunch of my friends came to hang out and meet Grammy and Poppa. I love the fact that my 20-something friends jumped on the opportunity to hang out with my grandparents. And even more that the conversations were flowing all night long! We’re all hoping we can be that cool when we’re grandparents 
To check out some of the pics from the time with Grammy and Poppa, click on the link below:
