Medicking

I'm still technically in orientation but I'm on a truck and that makes me happy. My field training officer has a reputation for not babying people and being scary but in reality she's pretty great. She is always happy to answer my questions and teach me what I don't know. From what I understand, I have one more week with her then I get put on my own truck.

As someone who's never had a job before, it's a bit of an adjustment. But so far I am really liking this. :)

Summer Break!

     Change can sometimes be daunting and other times it can be welcome.
     My twenty first birthday has come and gone and as far as Civil Air Patrol is concerned, I can no longer be a cadet. There are advantages to being a senior member, but sometimes I miss being a cadet. I look forward to giving back to the organization that helped me gain life skills I now use everyday.
     On the other hand, I have just finished my last assignment for this spring! I have been taking online classes this semester. Convenient, but it lacks social interaction. I miss seeing my friends from paramedic school every third day, but that was also a different situation. We stuck together for not just a semester, but a whole year. Anyways, I am so excited to have a summer break! I haven't had one since high school. :)
    Another transition I will be making in the immediate future is getting used to having a job. I just got hired y'all! I am ecstatic about being back on a truck.

    In my excitement, I have compiled a bucket list of sorts for this semester summer. (Haha still in the school mode)

• Make a shadow box for paramedic school
• Make a cute little succulent garden
• Do some reading that I haven't had time to do
• Fly a kite at the beach
• Finally learn to play my flute

That doesn't seem like too much, right? 

Happy Summer everyone!

PS On that note, I feel bad for the people who live up north. The weather here in Florida is gorgeous!

Getting Hired

Throw back to one year ago when I was in P2.
I was verbalizing a trauma scenario here.

       Now that I’m a Florida licensed paramedic it’s about time to get some experience! Unfortunately, like many young people know, you can’t get experience without a job and it’s hard to get a job without experience. The Lord knows though and it's under His control so I'm in the process of testing to be hired at the local ambulance service as an EMT. Then when I have some of that golden experience under my belt I can get promoted to paramedic. 

        I've been taking a psychology course and a medical terminology course online and also attempting to obtain NREMT certification at the paramedic level. For some reason I struggle passing static cardiology. I'm also nearing the end of my cadet career in the Civil Air Patrol. I hope to continue on as a senior member and give back to the organization that helped me become the person I am today. So you see I've been quite busy. Now if I can just go back from thinking ALS (advanced life support) to BLS (basic life support) I should be able to get hired. *thumbs up* 

Paramedic School... Finished

       It's a bittersweet moment. After hours of studying textbooks and listening to lectures, hours of practicing skills and running through scenarios, hours of riding on the ambulance and treating real patients, I am finished. I have completed the paramedic program. If you told me two years ago that I would be where I am today, I would have laughed at you and said, "No way." Going into EMS was not in my plan for my life. But it was in God's plan. Everything He's had me do has been done for a reason. I don't know what He has for me to ultimately do, but I'm taking the next step.
       Paramedic school was so much fun and a great challenge. I've made some great friends that I know I will have for the rest of my life. We spent a third of that year together, pushing each other to learn more. I had great instructors that would go out of their way to help me understand a concept I was struggling with.
       My field internship has been crazy. It took a few calls to get used to just walking into a complete stranger's house. It took a few more calls to get used to talking to strangers. Overcoming shyness is hard! When I started I was severely lacking in self-confidence. My preceptor would tell me that I knew what to do and I just had to do it. I knew that but somehow it was hard to do! I was so frustrated! But I pulled through. I learned and I did.  I would ask myself, "How badly do you want to do this?" The EMT was my cheerleader. I knew she was rooting for me whatever I was doing and it helped to know that. The paramedic was there to make sure I didn't drown and prompt me if I was forgetting something.  There were times I panicked and other times where I was focused and did my job. All part of the learning process. My crew believed I could do it, even when I didn't think I could. And gradually I gained that confidence that I needed.
       Then as quickly as it started, it ended. The papers were signed. You're ready. You're an entry-level paramedic.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.    Philippians 4:13

Interregnum

“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” ― Alan Cohen

     I am enjoying my short respite from paramedic school. :) I can hardly believe it's already half over! I have been lazing around these past few days because I had my wisdom teeth removed. The weather has been beautiful, despite being a little warm. But, hey, it's Florida and lots of people would love to be here right now. I took a walk earlier this afternoon with my camera. It's amazing the little things you can find in a yard you've lived in for years. My overall mood for the day is content.

As far as paramedic school goes, I absolutely love it! The meet interesting people every time I have a clinical and I try not to take lightly the impact I have on their lives. The first time I poked a real person with a needle I was really nervous, but now it's one of my favorite things to do. (!!!) I try not to be too creepy about it.

     I have been struggling a bit in my walk with the Lord. I am thankful for my friends who push me toward Him when the world starts creeping in. I am so grateful that Jesus never gives up on me. I fail so often and I am truly a work in progress. I find that those days when I make time to spend with Him are the better days. I can read a passage in the Bible a thousand times and God still shows me something I hadn't seen before!

   I am excited to have somewhat of a social life before I get back to school and I am excited to get back to school! I am 2/3 through my classroom time for paramedic school. The end is in sight! Take what the Lord gives you and run with it!     Leigha

Land of Milk and Honey

     For a person my age I am pretty well travelled. I have been to a handful of countries as well as several states. I'm glad I have had all of those experiences. I don't quite remember how long ago, but it must have been 6 or 7 years ago that I decided that I wanted to visit Israel. I wanted to walk where Jesus walked, see the places where He taught, look over a piece of land and think, "This is where it happened." I put it on my prayer list and asked the Lord if He would let me go. There was a group from my church going in February. I asked a friend for more information. The way the timing worked out I could pay for the trip, but it was one day too long. I would have to miss too much school to go. Thankfully I found out there was a misunderstanding and that the trip was one day shorter. :) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.
   

Mount of Beatitudes

Capernaum, the headquarters of the ministry of Jesus

Overlooking Jerusalem

The Valley of Elah, where God used David to conquer Goliath

 It was an incredible trip. The Lord worked in my life in so many ways. I looked over these places and more than once was choked up with emotions as I thought of what happened. How the same problems those people in the Bible had, I had in my life. They had Jesus with them in person then. I have the Holy Spirit with me all the time.
     If you have not been to Israel, I would definitely say you should go. It will change the way you think and read the Bible.

Aspirations for the year 2017

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." -Jeremiah 29:11 KJV

God has a plan for my life. His plan for my life is not boring. That is for sure. I know some people who think of the Christian life as a life that is without "fun." I'd have to say I completely disagree. :) I have a ton of fun, and it is a comfort to know that when things don't go the way I think they should, God's got it under control. 2016 was a huge year in my life. I finished up my year at Crown College in Powell, TN, completed EMT school during the summer and got my state license and national certification, and managed to make my way through the first semester of paramedic school. And as of right now, I know I am doing exactly what the Lord wants me to.  I am immensely excited about this new year to do new (and not so new) things! Hence, I have made a few goals for this fresh year:

1. Read the Bible through chronologically. 
2. Finish paramedic school (!!!)
3. Get a job working with the local ambulance company.
4. Get back into my favorite hobby, photography.

I hope you all have a wonderful year!

New River Gorge Bridge in WV
November 2016

Milking Sugar

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” -Anne of Green Gables

My friend, Brittany, was able to come over and we had a great time. We drank tea, milked the cow, made chocolate ice cream, and watched Anne of Green Gables.

Soon to be your newest EMT

      This summer I've been busy taking classes at Daytona State College. I only have about three more weeks until I graduate from EMT school! Once I finish the class I will be eligible to sit for the state exam to be an officially certified emergency medical technician. This semester long journey has been full of surprises. One thing is that I never thought I would love it this much!
      I admit I was a bit shaken at first with the language and behavior of most of those I go to class with. As a girl who's been sheltered her entire life, it was a bit shocking to hear profanity readily used in everyday conversation. To be honest even now I struggle to follow Christ's example. When you are surrounded, it infiltrates your mind. My faithfulness is paying off though. My classmates notice that I am different. They notice I don't curse or drink or make inappropriate remarks. I see so much potential with lifestyle witnessing! I feel that I can be that light that is so much needed in this very dark field of work.
     As for the actual content of the classes, I am absolutely in awe of the amazing things God has equipped the human body to do. It has so many emergency mechanisms that will save your life! For example, if your leg is severed off, your blood vessels will constrict in an attempt to slow/stop the hemorrhaging.
     Lecture and lab are both interesting but I definitely like lab better. And to go further, my favorite part of lab is definitely patient assessment.  Basically, patient assessment is where everything you learn comes together. The knowledge you gain in lecture and the skills you learn in lab all come into play in a patient scenario. It's like a huge mystery you have to figure out to save someone's life.
      I love that no matter how small you think the task you're doing is, such as helping up an elderly lady who slipped and fell, you are their hero for that moment. It is important to them. I pray that the Lord would help me and use me to do what He will.

Break it Down

      Lately, I've been so concerned about the big picture. I feel as if I face many decisions that will affect the rest of my life. Today, my Baptist history teacher imparted a bit of his wisdom to the class before we started.
He said, "Do everyday what God wants you to do that day."
He told us to break it down even more. What does He want me to do this hour? I know this has been told to me for a long while now, but I think it just hit me. Follow God in all things small and the larger things will fall in place.
      The Lord has been doing wonderful things here at Crown. He's worked in my life so much and I can never thank Him enough for leading me here. Everyday He reveals something new that I hadn't seen or realized before. It's just absolutely amazing! Being in this Christian atmosphere has helped me to grow and strengthen my faith in God. I am so thankful for the many friends who encourage me day by day.
      By the way, these random picture's are just small details that I found outside of the dorm. Everything God has made is so intricate and beautiful. I hope I never lose my awe of the small things in life.



Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. -Psalm 103:1

How precious also are thy thoughts un
to me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
      -Psalm 139:17,18

Life as an... adult?

I certainly don't feel like an adult. I bought Teddy Grahams this afternoon.
A month and a half ago, my mother drove me up to the Crown College of the Bible in Powell, TN and left me here. I didn't really want to be here at first, but I knew this is where God wanted me. I'm glad I stuck it out because college is amazing! I have learned so much and most of it has not been in the classroom. I have learned to depend on God like no other time before. I love my classes. Truly, the Bible is inexhaustible. I always learn more and it never ceases to interest me. I have made friendships that I know will last for a lifetime...

Thrift shopping with my roomies

Bus ministry with the best

Boo Boo

Sundays with granny jackets

When Josh steals your phone

I've figured out I can act like a grown up when I need to (like in class), but I still have plenty of opportunities to be a kid.

Washington DC

     Ben and I were planning on retaking this photo from last time we were in DC.

     Unfortunately, the capital building was under construction, it was raining, and everything looked nasty so we didn't.
     I had the opportunity to visit several of the Smithsonian museums. My favorite by far was the Museum of Air and Space. There was so much on the history of flight. Seeing the Wright brothers' flyer and knowing that that was where flying began really was amazing.
     My second favorite was the Museum of American History. If you know me well, you could probably guess I spent most of my time in the exhibit about the wars. American conflicts have always interested me.

We visited the Arlington National Cemetery. My parents have a friend buried there and we found him after we visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. All I have to say about that is wow. The respect and military precision in the changing of the guards ceremony is absolutely impeccable.

Philadelphia

There's so much history in Philadelphia! We visited the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall

It says 'bobcat'
Ben: "Meow."

Boston

This summer we went on a road trip around some of the well known locations in the history of our country, the first being Boston, MA.

Me: "Let me take a picture of you!"
Ben: "Does it look like I care?"

The guy's actually got a British accent!

USS Constitution

Street performer

The shuttle driver from our hotel was very nice and wanted to give us a few helpful tips. He was talking about a beach not far from where we were.
Shuttle driver: "If you go right down here there's ah beach and it's only gaht maybe ten cahs."
Daddy: (leans over) "Did he say there were cows on the beach?"
 Ha! Highlight of the day!