THE CAST IS OFF!!!! Six long weeks...but I'm finally going back to work! My wrist is a little sore and he gave me a splint to wear while lifting things...(that will get plenty of work this weekend moving)!! So, I am off to Little Rock--I'll be out of the internet loop all weekend...the cable guys are coming monday...

So tomorrow should be the big day--my cast is SUPPOSEDLY coming off...for those of you who don't know...my nursing position in Little Rock, AR was postponed by a week--making this the fifth week i haven't worked...which makes it very hard on finances...Anyway, everyone please say a quick prayer for my wrist -- I really need and WANT to get back to work...

I talked to a few good friends back in Atlanta yesterday...I took care of their children in the ICU in Atlanta the past couple of years...they are both doing well...This picture is of Mia...the first one is of her in the ICU...Mia was probably the sickest little girl I've ever seen after surgery...she had a really hard time, but she made it through and will actually have to go back to surgery sometime this year...Mia turned two and is doing extremely well...Her parents, Chris and Natalie, mean the world to me!!! I'll get back to Atlanta soon you two!


This is Mia a few weeks ago!!! Natalie says she is walking now--yea!!! And she said a few words to me on the phone yesterday!!! I love you sweet girl!

I haven't been doing much this past week...trying to do a lot more with my left hand...it is definitely getting stronger, but I am all too eager to get back in the gym!!!! Hiring a trainer in Little Rock will be a number one priority...I have started reading The Purpose Driven Life...I am probably the last one to read it, but I'lll let you know how it goes...

Thank you for all your phone calls and emails...it really means so much to me to hear from all of you guys! It has been tough not being in my element, but having a "home" here with my family has been invaluable! Mom wanted to know if I wanted to buy a house here in Center Star, Al??? *huge laugh* I'll think about it mom! Tomorrow is my last day with her and Sophie...I'll miss them...

Did anyone see the Oprah show yesterday on the bird flu??? What did you think? I need to hear someone else's opinion before I share mine...

Love you guys,
Amber

My mom is keeping this little girl that her neighbor's adopted from the Ukraine...she is a really cute little girl, but the most impressive thing to me is her personality. She loves to dance--to anything...a commercial can come on the tv and she'll start dancing...her speech is of course a little hard to understand, her being two and all...she calls my mom "titi" (my mom's name is tina)...it's hilarious...she just looks and you and smiles after she says it...She has a wonderful family and a wonderful sitter (though I might be a little biased on that)....She's a lucky little girl...Her mom has a blog that she has kept from the beginning of the process of adopting Sophie...It's a great website and I'll put the link up...Here are a couple of pics of Sophie...Enjoy!!

Back from Vegas...very tired...spent all of my birthday in the airport! I missed my flight so I wound up not getting home until about 10 CST which is 8 Vegas time...so basically it was another 12 hour traveling day...



Vegas was a blast...I would like to say it was without drama, but I would be lying...The biggest mistake you could ever make is to take someone you actually like to Vegas...because by the end...you aren't going to like them in the least bit...Let's just say we turned in to evil practical jokers--Brock, Mia, and I were all fine...we rocked the Hard Rock at least three nights...we saw all the UFC guys and went to a party of theirs...The guy from fear factor was there...too bad Nico wasn't there, Mia...he could have name dropped him now!!! I find name dropping extremely annoying...Mia was "dating" this guy who knew- somebody- who -was- about -to -get- out- of- work- that- could- get- us- into- somewhere- that- was- really -really -cool- and- we- are- just- going- to- wait- on- him- for- another- couple- of- minutes...he tried to name drop all night and really the only person who got dropped was him by the end of the night...we lost him...after we got rid of him, we actually had a lot of fun...



The hotels are crazy big...bigger than I ever thought they would be. The Paris was probably my favorite followed by Caesar's Palace...The Bellagio was nice, but the bartender was SMOKING HOT...Hah hah "fruit loop" Brock N! I didn't gamble at all...I just always think of what I could have spent that money on...but I have no problem gambling other people's money! I wound up seeing a couple of people I knew from Mississippi way back when...they were standing at the bar--both were in town for business--we haven't seen each other for about five years...crazy, how small of a world it is...



I don't know when i am going to AR...the past couple of days have been so crazy...I guess they decided it wasn't in their (the hospital) best interest to have me come right now with a cast on my hand...which is fine, but they should have told me that before the day I was going to move...everything is up in the air at this point...I have to start next week though or my insurance lapses...anyway--it will work out...I am just anxious to get this cast off and go back to my regular life.

Enjoy the pictures...



Amber

HAPPY NEW YEAR--I have been traveling quite a bit lately, but not in exotic locations...I have been lucky enough to be able to see pretty much my whole family in the last two weeks...I have also been able to see friends I haven't seen in a couple of years, see their husbands and children I've never met because I've been busy traveling and working...it's nice to be able to sit and tell stories and listen to how their lives have played out.Granted, I have had to work at sitting still...I still can't drive anywhere because of insurance purposes with this cast, but I can move all of my fingers and I am even typing with two hands now...It's been an interesting journey with this broken wrist, but I have enjoyed the slow pace my life has taken within the past couple of weeks...
Interesting life I lead--broken wrist snowboarding and kidnapped by hell's angels--I am at my dad's house right now...he bought a bike last year and he just had really loud pipes put on it--he took me on a ride the other day--yes, broken arm and all...I have to admit--I was a little nervous when we started turning and I could only hold on with one hand...But the bike is sooooo nice...I'm still alive in one piece (except my wrist of course)...my brother and sister went back to school today and I have been all alone in the house for the first time since I've been injured...I've watched more movies than I care to count and even folded some clothes today...that is a huge accomplishment for those that have never tried to fold clothes with one hand...it only took me an hour! hah...
Hopefully, I get this cast off on Tuesday and a smaller one put on! Then it's off to VEGAS with Mia Peretti and Brock Nelson...Josh is also flying out...we've got to come up with a good bar name for him...so there should be good pictures and great stories!

~Ava B.