Pictures-N-Words

I know some people think nurses are "just doing their job" when they are at work. But let me tell you, they do way more than their job and so much more than they are ever required to. Nurses will rock and comfort your sick crying grandbaby when his mommy has to go home to get some rest. Nurses will hug you when you don't even realize you need a hug, prompting rivers of tears from exhaustion and heartache. Nurses will gently and lovingly teach you how to bathe your days old baby in the NICU, so you have a chance to do it in case the worst happens and you never get to do it again. Nurses will smile even when they themselves are exhausted because they know you need it. They will laugh with you, rejoice with you, empathize with you, teach you and cry for/with you. Nurses who've only known your child since they came through the ER doors will cry when there's nothing else that can be done. Those same nurses will line the halls with smiling faces when your loved one get

The very first time I came to South Carolina, it was way back in the mid 80's. I worked for a family who had a house north of Myrtle Beach, and we went there often. I grew up visiting the gulf coast with crystal clear water and white powdery sand, and loved it. We spent many a spring break and summer vacation snorkeling, body surfing, crabbing and playing in the clear lagoons. So you can imagine my dismay when I saw the dingy sand and muddy water of the Atlantic for the very first time. My remark to them was, " You guys call THIS a beach???". Fast forward to the next time I came to the Atlantic, in February of 2013 to Charleston SC for an extended weekend.  It was cold but sunny, and the huge azaleas were already blooming everywhere. We visited Beka's favorite hunting spot for shark's teeth, went to the pier, took my 3-legged foster dog Rocket to the beach (he LOVED it!), and ate some great seafood. It was 3 days of laughing and reconnecting one of

I've always been pretty transparent with my feelings to my friends. Seven years ago my life changed drastically, and has led me down paths I never thought I would go. I've changed a lot in those 7 years, my heart has softened in so many areas, and my beliefs have been enlightened, my soul grown stronger and my spirit braver. I can look back and see God's hand in every part at each time. When my marriage dissolved, I cried to God through my tears to at least make this heartache worth it, that if I helped even one person going through the same thing, it would be worth it. When my daughter was struggling with her addiction, my heart was opened to the horrible disease, and my understanding became greater. Where I once looked upon addicts and their families with pity and disdain, God showed me compassion in a way I never would have chosen, but He knew it would be effective. That experience also allowed me to help others going through the same struggles, and showed me that