Today was a beautiful day! It started out rainy but quickly turned to bright sunny skies; a great day to work in the garden and read a book outside. Spring in the Northwest is beautiful!!!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Life after grad school...
This year after graduation has been difficult for me. It is hard to believe that it has been nearly a year since graduation. After being in school for so long, I've suddenly found myself with my evenings and weekends free, with no assignments or papers due, and the chance to explore other interests. For those who have been around me the past 5 years and heard me bemoan the fact that I wasn't able to have a flower and vegetable garden, I finally have my garden! I covered my patio with pots of flowers and vegetables (radishes, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts). It has been so much fun to pick out the vegetables and flowers and plant them...can't wait for the food they will produce! I've also begun taking banjo lessons and am now in my 7th month of lessons; it is so much fun! Stay tuned for music clips....
It has been an adjustment to life without school into a life of work. In some ways, I feel that I had to reground myself in Christ and refocus on seeking his glory and being an instrument available for his use in this next stage of life. I am in a great women's Bible study once a week and a friend I have known since 3rd grade also lives in Spokane which has been such a blessing to reconnect with her.
Blessings on your Saturday!
~Nancy
P.S. for those who have missed my smiling face, this is my professional photo...
Monday, June 29, 2009
Taking the next step...
June 30, 2009
Taking the next step: my testimony about how God brought me to my next career
Taking the next step: my testimony about how God brought me to my next career
For those of you who don’t know, I will be moving to Spokane Washington beginning a job on July 6th. I might be the only one who thinks this, but I feel very amused that one year ago I had declined a fourth year externship opportunity in Spokane and was preparing to move to Middlesbrough. I wonder if I took a year detour only to come back to where I was supposed to be. Or, maybe it wasn’t really a detour. The opportunity was with another company which still would have been a good opportunity but I don’t think I was the one ready to live there. This past week, several of my colleagues have made mention to the fact that I’m not the same person who came over to England last summer. Hmm, well, I have unfortunately put on some weight, I think my hair was grown a bit longer; I’ve developed faint crow’s feet around my eyes. Thankfully, this is not what they are referring to. Instead, I think they are pointing out the inward changes God has used this experience to develop in me. I learned a huge lesson in this hunt for a job.
In January, I began looking for a position in full force; using contacts to find out about open positions, posting my resume’ on several audiology job sites, sending out letters of inquiry to various places of interest. Every evening and weekend was spent refining my letter of introduction and resume’ and searching the web for more job openings. All my effort was greeted with…silence. No response. No interest. Discouragement set in. I remember when the job in Spokane opened online. I searched the website to find out more about what the job entailed but the description was cryptic. My mom encouraged me to apply for it for “the experience”. More than a little unenthused, I submitted my resume’ through the online application. Still nothing. I was becoming increasingly more discouraged. One night in April, I became angry at God; after all, I had been so diligent in seeking after a job and God wasn’t providing. I realized then that I had been doing this all in my own strength. I hadn’t bothered to seek God’s direction or tell Him of my desires. I think I was afraid that God might put me somewhere I didn’t want to be. I had to visualize the large burden of job hunting that I was carrying on my back and mentally place it before the cross of Christ and then visually walk away from it. I also prayed that the Holy Spirit would give me peace when I interviewed at the place God wanted me to be. I had to do this several times throughout the following days and weeks and when the anxiety of not having a job rose up, I reminded myself that it was released to God. Before I came home for graduation, I got the first response to one of my job applications. My mom e-mailed me that Spokane had contacted her and would like me to contact them when I was in town. Oh no, not Spokane! But, after all, I was just going to get more experience interviewing. Once back in Wenatchee, the phone call and e-mails began in full force; offers for interviews soon had my days and weeks filled. Some of the jobs had very appealing descriptions and I found myself imagining what it would be like to live in the area and work there. The first interview; the audiologist discouraged me from working there. The second interview; questions about the professionalism of the company. The third interview; I was told it was only a formality and that they already had someone in mind. The fourth interview; a good position but no peace about accepting it. My hopes were falling with the farewell handshake as I left each interview. One more interview left. I remember telling my friend Beth that those positions had appeared so good that if I wasn’t going to be hired at one of them then God must have somewhere really amazing waiting for me. I went to the Spokane interview still prepared to do my best in the interview process. As the interview proceeded, I had the revelation as the Holy Spirit moved in my spirit, this is where I was supposed to be! As I expressed my areas of interest in audiology, I was ecstatic to find that they were looking for someone with those interests. I toured the facilities and felt as if I already worked there. I wanted to be a part of this organization and their goals. Unlike the other places, I was excited to explore the surrounding area and spent the afternoon driving around the area. Driving back to Wenatchee the following day, I cried as I praised God for his faithfulness; not because I did anything to deserve His faithfulness, but because His character is faithfulness. I praised Him for the work he had been doing in my heart to prepare me to move to Spokane. When the job offer came, I knew with confidence what my answer would be.
I was speaking to a godly woman following the experience who pointed out that my experience was similar to when Samuel went to the house of Jesse to anoint a new king of Israel. Samuel looked at each son and saw their outward appearance and thought their attractiveness would make them suitable kings but God said ‘no’ to each until the unlikely youngest son, David, was brought before Samuel and God stirred Samuel’s heart to show him that this was His choice for king. Just like I was bedazzled with the glowing job descriptions of many of the places I had high hopes for working, God showed me clearly that these were not the places He had in mind. As I begin this new job in one week’s time, may I continue to seek God’s heart and direction in every aspect of my life. 
Sunday, June 28, 2009
For the last time
June 27, 2009
Today is my last weekend in the UK and so I decided to visit my favorite place, Whitby, one last time. I bought some fish and chips with mushy peas and sat on the beach eating them. What I love about Whitby is that the beach stretches a ¼ mile of sand to the water and miles around the cliffs, and, no one is ever on the beach enjoying it! I will really miss Whitby with it’s quaint shops, yummy lemon tops, and the sound of the constant roar of the sea playing music in the background. Whitby is where I came to get away from the rough industrial area of Middlesbrough to smell the fresh sea air, to hear the ocean, to gaze out at the North Sea. I wrote a little collection of verse for your enjoyment:
Today is my last weekend in the UK and so I decided to visit my favorite place, Whitby, one last time. I bought some fish and chips with mushy peas and sat on the beach eating them. What I love about Whitby is that the beach stretches a ¼ mile of sand to the water and miles around the cliffs, and, no one is ever on the beach enjoying it! I will really miss Whitby with it’s quaint shops, yummy lemon tops, and the sound of the constant roar of the sea playing music in the background. Whitby is where I came to get away from the rough industrial area of Middlesbrough to smell the fresh sea air, to hear the ocean, to gaze out at the North Sea. I wrote a little collection of verse for your enjoyment:
Goodbye my Whitby
My friend
With sands that stretch beyond
And cliffs that jut broadly
Waves that roar, birds that call
To find fish and chips left on the shore
Bells that chime to those
Who climb the 99
Quaint shops with treasures galore
Mainly gleaned from your shore
A haven for ships out at sea
Oh my friend will you always be
My Whitby
My friend
With sands that stretch beyond
And cliffs that jut broadly
Waves that roar, birds that call
To find fish and chips left on the shore
Bells that chime to those
Who climb the 99
Quaint shops with treasures galore
Mainly gleaned from your shore
A haven for ships out at sea
Oh my friend will you always be
My Whitby
Thoughts around graduation time
May 2009
“Those who abandon their dreams will discourage your.” When I discovered this quote just over a year ago, the words spoke to where I was at that point of my life; preparing to move to England. As graduation came around at the beginning of May, I was again contemplating this statement from two different angles. The first was to think back on those who did indeed try to discourage me; those who said that I wasn’t smart enough to go to college let alone graduate school, the speech and language pathology professor who, when I was considering audiology as a profession, told me that women shouldn’t be audiologists. And, the audiologist who told me that I would be over qualified and working for little pay and it wasn’t worth all the time and energy of graduate school. These people had either abandoned their dreams or let the difficulties of life create bitterness in their hearts for where they were in their lives. Out of their bitterness and disappointment, came discouragement to others.
“Those who abandon their dreams will discourage your.” When I discovered this quote just over a year ago, the words spoke to where I was at that point of my life; preparing to move to England. As graduation came around at the beginning of May, I was again contemplating this statement from two different angles. The first was to think back on those who did indeed try to discourage me; those who said that I wasn’t smart enough to go to college let alone graduate school, the speech and language pathology professor who, when I was considering audiology as a profession, told me that women shouldn’t be audiologists. And, the audiologist who told me that I would be over qualified and working for little pay and it wasn’t worth all the time and energy of graduate school. These people had either abandoned their dreams or let the difficulties of life create bitterness in their hearts for where they were in their lives. Out of their bitterness and disappointment, came discouragement to others.
The second angle was to think of those in my life who had encouraged me to where I am today. First would be my family who formed the basis of my education and relationship with God. My church family consisting of pastors, mentors, patriarchs and matriarchs of the church, the Patinas, and my Christian friends; those who because of their prayers, words of encouragement, and wisdom helped shape me into who I am now. Teachers throughout my childhood and youth; swimming, piano, all those people instilled in me the skills of discipline and hard work and spoke hard-to-hear truths into my life even when there were times I wanted to give up. Those from my California life; they lifted me up in friendship and encouraged me to pursue goals. Those from Pocatello; my friends and roommates who had to put up with late study nights and my frustrations. My ISU professors who helped me to grow my interest in audiology into a passion. It is amazing for me to think back on the encouragement these people put into my life and how my life has become a patchwork of their prayers, encouragement, words of wisdom, and truths. I am truly blessed!
Thinking on that phrase, I am reminded that my dreams are not what I can do, what job I obtain, what research I do. My dream is the hope I have in Christ; the hope that daily His Holy Spirit would work through me to touch those in my work with compassion, to speak words of truth into others lives, to bring encouragement to the depressed. There will be times that I will become discouraged at where I am in life, with others, with my job, but may I never abandon the dream that is my hope in Christ Jesus. 
Monday, April 20, 2009
Day 7 April Trip
April 1, 2009
The next morning, we ate our delicious home cooked meal of toast, sausage, eggs, beans, and tea. We wanted to get to Cheadle Hulme and then up to Manchester and back to Middlesbrough before too late. Boarding our bus, I was sure I could smell the putrid scent from the day before although April assured me that it wasn’t the same bus. At the train station in Stoke, April and I were rushing to our platform, oblivious to what was happening around us, when a man reached out to grab my arm and commanded us to stop. April and I had nearly walked onto the filming of a movie. On the opposite platform, 30 brightly dressed girls danced as the main actors ran by as if missing their train. No, we were not asked to be extras. Once in Cheadle Hulme, we were slightly disappointed to find it wasn’t the quaint and friendly little town that Cheadle Staffordshire had been as it is more of a suberb of Manchester. Unable to unload our wheeley suitcase and traveling on one of the warmest days of the year, we lugged the suitcase up and down the streets trying to find something to do or see. Passing a small corner grocers, we were both lured in by the advertisement of icecream which we bought a ½ gallon of toffee fudge and the owner even supplied us with spoons and paper towels. A woman told us about a plark and tudor hall to visit so we made our way bumping along residential roads until we arrived at Bramhall Hall. Collapsing on a bench, we dove into our icecream devouring it as if we were vagrants traveling from town to town and stopping at benches for a rest. Revived by our delicious ‘meal’, we were in the mood for exploring, after all, we had come all that way. Bramhall Hall is a tudor building meaning although the main entrance dates to medieval times
when everyone ate and slept in the same room , the rest of the house was built in tudor time
with more recent modifications being Victorian. The house is painted white and dark wood beams and woodwork make intricate designs. As we entered, we were greeted by 3 bookish men in their mid-late 60’s. It was like meeting April and myself in man form 40 years from now! It was clear that not many people our age visit the Hall or are interested in history. We had a personal tour through the Hall and I think April greatly enjoyed the room of generations of the Davenports all sporting the same nose; consanguinity! (this became our favorite word throughout our travels). At the end of the tour, we found our selves surrounded by the 3 tour guides who clearly did not want us to leave and very much wanted to impart their knowledge to us often citing from books over 100 years old! Finally able to pull ourselves away, we made our way back to the train station, back to Manchester, and then caught the train to Middlesbrough.
The next morning, we ate our delicious home cooked meal of toast, sausage, eggs, beans, and tea. We wanted to get to Cheadle Hulme and then up to Manchester and back to Middlesbrough before too late. Boarding our bus, I was sure I could smell the putrid scent from the day before although April assured me that it wasn’t the same bus. At the train station in Stoke, April and I were rushing to our platform, oblivious to what was happening around us, when a man reached out to grab my arm and commanded us to stop. April and I had nearly walked onto the filming of a movie. On the opposite platform, 30 brightly dressed girls danced as the main actors ran by as if missing their train. No, we were not asked to be extras. Once in Cheadle Hulme, we were slightly disappointed to find it wasn’t the quaint and friendly little town that Cheadle Staffordshire had been as it is more of a suberb of Manchester. Unable to unload our wheeley suitcase and traveling on one of the warmest days of the year, we lugged the suitcase up and down the streets trying to find something to do or see. Passing a small corner grocers, we were both lured in by the advertisement of icecream which we bought a ½ gallon of toffee fudge and the owner even supplied us with spoons and paper towels. A woman told us about a plark and tudor hall to visit so we made our way bumping along residential roads until we arrived at Bramhall Hall. Collapsing on a bench, we dove into our icecream devouring it as if we were vagrants traveling from town to town and stopping at benches for a rest. Revived by our delicious ‘meal’, we were in the mood for exploring, after all, we had come all that way. Bramhall Hall is a tudor building meaning although the main entrance dates to medieval times
when everyone ate and slept in the same room , the rest of the house was built in tudor time
with more recent modifications being Victorian. The house is painted white and dark wood beams and woodwork make intricate designs. As we entered, we were greeted by 3 bookish men in their mid-late 60’s. It was like meeting April and myself in man form 40 years from now! It was clear that not many people our age visit the Hall or are interested in history. We had a personal tour through the Hall and I think April greatly enjoyed the room of generations of the Davenports all sporting the same nose; consanguinity! (this became our favorite word throughout our travels). At the end of the tour, we found our selves surrounded by the 3 tour guides who clearly did not want us to leave and very much wanted to impart their knowledge to us often citing from books over 100 years old! Finally able to pull ourselves away, we made our way back to the train station, back to Manchester, and then caught the train to Middlesbrough.
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