it's been awhile, I don't know if anyone even notice though...

I just wrote my last final for nursing this morning! who hooo! That's the last one I will write for the nursing program (except for the 8 hour RN exam in June that's province-wide). So, I am one exam away from being done this semester (I have a philosophy final tomorrow). I will be heading off on Friday to Regina to meet my family (by plane) where my younger sister will be graduating from RCMP Depot training. For some reason I am really excited to be in Regina, last I heard it was -11 Celcuis, no doubt they have snow~ I am also planning to donate blood my first morning there- it's blocks away from my hotel! I can't convince my twin sister to donate, apparently she gets queasy (sounds like some of my other friends....). There are in desperate need for blood donations especially during the christmas season. www.bloodservices.ca

oh and i will be preceptoring in palliative care (taking care of the dying) it's my final practicum where I have a preceptor/mento nurse I work with full time- 12 hour shifts for 16 weeks. All for free - as in I'm not getting paid.... I work my last few undergrad (paid) shifts this christmas break.

A funny note about this semester- so I taught about 70 grade 10 students (35 at a time) about sexually transmitted infections, HIV/AIDs and how to protect themselves, mostly scared them with my graphic pictures and shocking statistics and facts. I was teaching in a small auditorium! So- picture me teaching with these giant disgusting pictures on the projection screen! I had a box of 144 condoms and I handed out at least half of the box, now i had been storing them in my room, and put a bunch in these cute paper things that folded with the condom inside- it included some facts and pics of how to put on a condom. Well, over the last couple of weeks I keep finding condoms in weird places in my room! Under my bed, behind my dressser. I had my guy friend over and I think seeing all these condoms make him a little uncomfortable! So many condoms for someone who is definately NOT having sex ( I choose to be a virgin for now, I am waiting for the right one to marry...)

Other than that I plan to go snow shoeing at Manning park after christmas (before I start my preceptorship), and I hope to do something fun for New Years, so if anyone has a fabulous party to invite me to call me! or better yet- blog me!

I hope everyone has a wonderful christmas season spent with people you love. Be safe, be merry, and blessed!

Keegan

check this out!!

chillin after a day at school on the mountaintop

chillin after a day at school on the mountaintop, originally uploaded by KeeganS.

exciting things happening...

So my friend Melissa and her former roomate (Jesca) had a fundraiser dinner and dance on saturday night. It was so amazing to see people come together to raise money and support for 12 orphans in Uganda, Africa to feed and cloth them and send them to school. Melissa's roomate (Jesca) is from an area in Uganda called "Mukono" and her sister lives there- and her sister is a nurse who has taken these kids and fed and clothed them herself with the little that she has. Jesca went to visit her and saw this and told Melissa about it: in response to this Melissa said "how can we not do anything about this?" and from there the idea came alivefor the people of Chilliwack, Abbotsford----basically the Fraser Valley and the West coast (and even beyond) to respond by sharing our money and resources to see these kids, and future kids taken care of. The idea is to get the people in the village to be the ones to help build the orphanage (once we get 10,000 dollars- over 10 % of that was raised on saturday night alone!!). The plan is to set the local people up with a garden so they can grown their own food, and have chickens (and a chicken coop) so they can sell eggs to support themselves. The plan is to ensure these orphans, many of whose parents have died of AIDS ( a huge epidemic in Africa right now), the material things they need and a roof over their head, and education so they can be raised up to be successful and make their own impact in their community!

The neat thing about the dinnner and dance was how everyone rallied to support this cause; Melissa's dad's band played (they were awesome!), Jesca's family provided food for everyone (Ugandian food- yummy..) and both of their friends donated their services for the silent auction. Photographers taking pictures and offering portraits, drum lessons donated, handmade jewellry from Uganda, ect.

Another neat thing was when I left I ran into a couple of girls in the parking lot asking about what band was playing and what venue it was. I explained it to them and they got so excited because their church is doing something similar for an orphanage in Africa! So I invited them in and introduced them to Jesca and they got business cards. There is a website but I don't know what it's called yet. So for now there is an e-mail: mukonohome@hotmail.com and look on facebook for future events. If we had 9 more events like that we could have enough for the people of the village to build the orphanage!!!!

After the dinner- I had this sense that somehow I was making a difference in someone else's life, and I truly believe that we as people put in the work and effort and God will mutiply it and bless it! God loves children!

my summer....

Randy and I went for lunch at a winery in Naramata





so this summer has been a real change for me. I worked full time at the hospital for a couple of months, then had surgery on my foot, spending most of july recovering, then late july and early august I went to Creation fest (!!) and was a camp counsellor for a week on thetis island. I also caught up with some old friends, boyfriends, ect on the island and in the okanagan (where I grew up). I have spend most of august gardening and landscaping, which is hard work, but it keeps me active as I am not working till sept (can't work till 9 weeks post-op) so basically I've make no money for the last 2 months which is why I have all this free time and and I am not taking any extra trips :( too bad it's either time of money that seems to get in the way. So now I am going to catch up on some summer reading seeing as it's raining now, and do some pre-reading before school starts (if I can get my butt over to the school bookstore)...so the pace and flow has been nice, I've been able to help people out with babysitting and odd jobs, ect. I would like to go camping before school starts but I want to go with friends and they all seem too busy these days (unlike me) but starting sept that will change! yeah I am so excited to be graduated in june '08!
visiting Aaron on the island

so it's my birthday

sorry I haven't written on here for ages....blame it on facebook....

so I have been busy working ad an undergrad nurse- working 12 hour shifts (2 days, 2 nights, then 4 days off) since the beginning of May. I finish next week as I will be having foot surgery and off for 9 weeks:( so money making will be put off (maybe a little respite care to tide me over) and then it's time for Creation Fest at the end of July and before that visiting with my parents in Penticton. I hope to do a trip to victoria in august and even visit Thetis island again (maybe even volunteer at Pioneer pacific camp for a week if I can do office work).

So as the headline suggests I just turned 28 on June the 17th!! I don't celebrate until tonight though (monday ) I am going kayaking at Harrison lake with friends then coming back to the house for a desert party- I'm expecting around 16 people over. So I will be baking this morning (after I get my butt into bed it's 1 am...) and I am sooooo excited. I got off work at midnight (special request I made to my boss) and I went down to Emergency to see my friend Devin and her and some staff sang the birthday song to me!! I actually blushed (even though I pretty much asked them to sing it for me).

well I better hit the hay, but hey everyone hope all is well!

Goosespit Bay- Courntey, BC

Goosespit Bay, originally uploaded by KeeganS.

So I went to Courtney and Comox last weekend and i have the pictures to prove it! I was visiting my friend Pamela who has been working as an occupational therapist in town. It was a fun trip- perfect weather and company! Click here for more photos: