November?

So basically I just should no longer have a blog... I am terrible at keeping up with it and I'm starting to think it's just pretty lame anyway. It's almost Thanksgiving, and Christmas as well as my 2 year wedding anniversary is quickly approaching! How is that even possible? That we've been married TWO years??? Wow! I thought weeks and months flew by! So does YEARS! 

I can't wait to go home to Michigan December 18th and be with my FAMILY for an entire WEEK! It has been FOREVER!! I hope there is tons and tons and tons of snow! A blizzard every single day! I would be in Heaven. I'm also excited because Sean and Beth will be there too at that exact time so the Rogers family of 5 will finally ALL BE TOGETHER! Woo hoo!!!!!!!! :) 

Asa and I are staying the night in the bed and breakfast where we enjoyed our honeymoon and are even staying in the same suite! I am so so so excited! Jacuzzi baths, a DELICIOUS breakfast brought to us by Pat, the innkeeper, and strolling the streets of downtown Holland, MI. LOVE this! 

I am quitting my job here at Kosair and my last day is December 10th. At that point I will have worked here just shy of 9 months.... again, time flies! I will lose my benefits and our health insurance, but we are going to try really hard to buy our own private insurance which shouldn't be a problem. I will be the long term sub at Dixie Elementary for a teacher who will be out on maternity leave; this is where Asa is the preferred sub and where he teaches every day. It will be SO FUN to go to work with him 5 days a week for 6+ weeks! I LOVE that school, I love the kids, the teachers, and I LOVE working with Ace. 

I am so ready to be done forever with 12 hour shifts and the business that the hospital environment brings. I am SO SO grateful to God for his grace and mercy for showing me that nursing was NOT the field I desired after all! I can't fathom if I had enrolled in nursing school at this point... 

By mid December I will have completed 9 hours of grad school in my MAT in Special Education :) I am enjoying it so far and I can't wait to have my own classroom. We are still seeking God's will as we both wait for contracts. . . 

We have started attending a brand new church, called the Avenue. It is such a gift from God! I mean... every single service it's like I FEEL Jesus in the room with us. I can feel his warmth and love just spreading all around us! Ben Hardman is the pastor; he is a husband to Sarah and a father to three adorable kids! He is one of the best speaker's I have ever listened to. There are a LOT of young married couples in the church and we have become friends with so many! The church is just now 7 weeks old and it is incredible... One of my newest and closest friend's, Allyson Harper, is amazing :) She is such a blessing in my life!! And it's been AMAZING to grow closer to Susannah Gilbert, an old Glass family friend who is 23, and one of the most incredible, Godly, loving woman I know! 

This summer Asa and I are going to try to go on a mission trip with Allyson and her family to Romania on a vision clinic mission trip for 14 days. We will have to raise ~$8,000 though, so we need to send out fundraising letters ASAP. I am dying to leave the country with Ace, especially before we have children (which God willing, may never happen but who knows what He has in store so I won't say "never....") My heart is soooo outside of America and soooo is interested in any other country.... I know that may sound terrible because America has our own poverty, despair, sadness and an abundance of non-believers... but my heart longs to travel and see the world! So I am praying God's will through this hope of mine...

Those are pretty much the biggest updates for now. I am excited for December 10th and to substitute teach the next 5 days after that and then after THAT, to hit the road home to Michigan with our PUPS! WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!! 

I am forever grateful to my Savior for the plentiful blessings he keeps providing us with! 

Hello October!

October has arrived and it is finally fall. I cannot believe tomorrow will be October 3, 2010 and my Elsa will be 3 years old. It is her "Golden" birthday and she is a GOLDEN. So very sweet. To be honest, Asa and I completely forgot and it was he who remembered tonight after a very busy, long afternoon at our friends' wedding. I felt so terrible that I had forgotten. My pet's birthdays are very important to me and we always have celebrated with animal friendly cakes or cupcakes and of course gifts--and my mom in  Michigan always sends care packages! A little late now, but we are hoping to celebrate some tomorrow evening and maybe Monday get her a special tasty treat at Three Dog Bakery.
September was a difficult month. I had several severe illnesses right off the bat: first, strep throat, second, a severe sinus infection and lastly, I was sick for 7 days straight with a 102 fever, body aches, chills, sore throat, cough and breathing issues. The last illness turned out to be severe tonsillitis that pretty much spread to my lungs, resulting in significant respiratory problems! I don't ever remember a time that I was as sick as that and I pray to God I never am again!

I still am at Kosair and really not enjoying it... the 12 hour days are getting harder and harder on me and my body and I hate how raggedly run I am at that job. I also have been substitute teaching one or two days in between Kosair and for the most part have really enjoyed it (except when I get stuck at a terrible school with completely disrespectful kids! The 30+ classrooms are SO hard for me, as I really do not enjoy having and teaching that many kids! Hence why I am going into special ed!)

Currently, Asa and I are on a four day break together which hasn't happened in a LONG time, and it has been wonderful! September 30 we had Arie stay the night which was pure joy, the next day we had a marvelous brunch that we hosted to kick off the St. James Art Fair and all our family and a couple other friends joined us. Today we went to a wedding and Arie is over spending the night again. It's been the first time in my life that I was able to say to Asa, "I want an Arie." Having her in our household is one of the biggest blessings I could ever ask or hope for. I am so blessed to be her aunt and I know Asa adores being her uncle. Today at the wedding she was asked, "Who is your favorite person?" And she SCREAMED, "ASHLEY!!!!!!!!" It touched my heart beyond belief. She loves coming over and she always laughs constantly when she is here. We take baths together (she and I), eat yummy food, watch funny shows such as "D-d-d-d-ORA" (as Arie likes to sing,) and just giggle and talk together. I realize that in order to "have an Arie" we would have to have an infant first... which I am not really looking forward to someday, but when I know the end result is something as great and perfect as she... it has been the first time probably in my LIFE that I have been able to say, "I want one SOMEDAY." So that's a HUGE step for me and very new. I know that when she leaves and my busy hectic life starts back up, I will NOT admit to wanting my own child, so I'll just enjoy it while it lasts, ha ha. Noah and Jana are also such amazing, wonderful parents.. that I know without them, she would not be the little girl that she is; which makes me even more grateful for them and who they are.

Asa's birthday is approaching, October16, Sean's (my brother) is October 13 and Asa's mom, my mama in law, is October 27th. October should be a wonderful month!
Lots of birthdays, events, and fun planned that will of course be documented :D

August Keeps Gaining Memories!

August 25, 2010 at 10:20pm, Keats Asa Glass was born to Noah and Jana. He was 22 inches long and 8 pounds, 15 ounces! HUGE BABY! Jana did such an incredible job... she too, is one of my biggest heros! She is so beautiful and takes giving birth like a champion! I cannot believe they are now a family of FIVE (that's how big MY family--the Rogers--is!)

The sweet boy had such a bruised face and the umbilical cord was tangled around his neck! He is such a blessing and I cannot wait to hug and squeeze him! It will be so fun that he and Ryvers are only 2 weeks apart! I now have six nieces and nephews and feel so honored to be an Aunt to so many! Do I have baby fever yet? HECK NO! :)
Every day I am grateful to God that I come home to only my husband and our animals... I still can't ever fathom being a Mom! To God be the glory though, forever and ever and I am so thankful for all of his blessings!

"Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Yes, the Lord will give what is good." PSALM 85:10,11

August Updates

The days just fly by don't they? 

Asa's sister Sarah had her baby boy August 10 at 8:56 in the evening. He was 8.4lbs and 22 inches long. Ryvers Calloway West is officially here! He is BEAUTIFUL. And Sarah did incredible. I'm not kidding... she was pretty much my hero. She moaned and groaned as any woman would in their contractions, but there was a peace about them that was so abnormal... Caleb soothed her so well in the delivery room and she held him tight as she felt each contraction. Soon it was time for Ryvers to enter the world and leave his mama's womb so Jana and I left and the Mother's stayed. She pushed a while and finally I couldn't take it any longer so at the very end, a nurse snuck me in behind the curtain and I was blessed to watch Ryvers make his grand entrance! I wanted to scream! Dark blonde (or maybe brown...) curly hair and a big ol' healthy body! Ten fingers, ten toes, one big bundle of beautiful-ness! It is so fun watching Sarah as a mommy now and will be such a blessing to watch them all as a family! 

Secondly, Jana will be induced August 31 if she doesn't go into labor before then. She is not DUE until September 5. So very soon, I will have to add Keats Asa Glass' photo into this "August Updates" blog! She is doing very well! And I will get the privilege and honor of being in the delivery room for his birth as well! [After I finish the GRE exam that day....DREADING that part of August 31!!!!] 

Asa and I are still begging God for contract teaching salary jobs in special education... we are waiting patiently but anxiously for Him to lead us. 

I will be substitute teaching again WHILE working at the hospital as well whenever I can get subbing jobs, in hopes to meet a principal who needs an ECE teacher! We shall see! 

More to come in August I'm sure, though I can't believe it's already almost over! ! ! 

July Updates!

It's been almost a month since I've written. Since the last post, I have enrolled in grad school and started my online class (taught by Asa's dad!) 3 weeks ago. It is SUCH a change being BACK in school! I'm only taking one class, and I feel like I have so much to do! Asa is taking three and kicking butt and he graduates in December WITH his master's in special education... I have no idea how I'll ever finish the program, because I dread being IN school, and all online course work is SO MUCH! However, I AM enjoying it and I'm learning a lot from the class I'm in. So it's very worth it. I've applied to JCPS for all special education jobs elementary through middle school. I very much doubt I will even get an interview for the county, with me JUST starting and there being so many teachers looking for jobs! We DESPERATELY need Asa to get hired as a salary contracted teacher however... so we could use some serious prayer on that front. Right now he is on my insurance at the hospital, and it would be SO wonderful for him to have is OWN, as well as to be making that type of salary! 


Each of the days I come to work, I am more and more made aware that I was never meant to be a nurse. I am so grateful to God for GIVING me this job, opening my eyes and saying, "See?? This is what you would be doing. This is what it is like!" I cannot stand being pulled in a million different directions. I know that as the PCA, I am the brunt of the staff... I do everything, for everyone, no matter what. Sometimes I have 26 patients, sometimes fewer and I realize nurses have 5 or 6 maximum, but they STILL have SUCH a demanding job!!! An IV being pulled out here, a kid needing meds there... I mean, it goes on and on for 12 hours straight! I do NOT do well not knowing where I will be one day, how many kids I will have, what the kids will be like...etc. 

The relationships that I do build with certain children, I never want to end. I got SO incredibly close to one 9 year old patient, when I left my shift that night I almost SOBBED because she was being moved the next day. The patient I have been with the past two days I have also gotten incredibly close with. She may be gave up to the state soon after her stay here, and it breaks my heart...  But again I can see how God has molded my heart and shown me that the time I have here with them is just not enough... I want to work in a small, intimate setting where I can watch children grow and learn and absorb and turn into the people they are supposed to become. Sometimes, I may get my hair pulled or be kicked or have a toy thrown at me (such as the past two days with this patient,) but the smile on their face, the relationship I would be building... it would all be worth it! I am so so thankful that the Lord has shown me that I DO strive for this. 


I can't believe that my sister in law Sarah is due pretty much any day now.. (Due August 12 but hopefully sooner!) And Jana, due September 5, we have no idea really... she may get induced but who knows when. And Ali (Asa's oldest sister) is due December 1. It still blows my mind that all 3 of my sister-in-laws (minus Beth on my side) are PREGNANT! Whew!!! 
ALL BOYS TOO! Did I mention that? I am VERY excited to see Sarah with a baby. This will be her first and I just can't fathom! I'm excited for ALL of them, but it's especially fun to see Sarah as a very first time pregnant woman :) She is so cute!  


OH! Very special update: our boy Humphrey turned FOUR years old yesterday! July 24 :)
We had a party for him (Asa and our pets and I) and Asa made a homemade cake for him as well as spoiled him with moist dog food. And my Mama of course sent a huge package in the mail with gifts and treats, not only for Hump but EVERYONE! She is the best!! So so sweet. 

Anyway, I'm exhausted and staring at a computer screen doesn't help! I have 3 more hours here with this patient and then I am off tomorrow (Monday). I work Tuesday and then I am going HOME TO MICHIGAN until Sunday!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see my Mama. I REALLY wish Asa could come with me... it makes me so sad I'll be away from him that entire week, but oh well I suppose. Ta ta for now!!!! :)

A Silent Prayer

Since I have been on day shift, I have sat with patients more than I have done actual PCA work--all of whom are psych teens! Last night I literally only got MAYBE 4 hours of sleep. My body is not used to sleeping all night every night so last night, no matter how tired it felt, it refused to shut down. I texted my Mom at 2 in the morning and she texted me the verse in Isaiah, "Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee," and I said it over and over and over and over and over again.... It must have worked because the last time I looked at the clock it was 2:15 and the time after that it was almost 6am and time to get out of bed. 

When I got to work I learned that I would be sitting...again...with a psych patient...again. At first I was excited, because lately I have been incredibly lazy and have enjoyed just sitting: reading, playing on my laptop, and talking with the patients. But as soon as I entered the room, I felt a tension so strong, I couldn't believe it. The light was on, the Mom was in the room, the patient was yelling and screaming, "Don't touch me! Don't look at me!" I introduced myself and the patient said, "Can't you make the pain stop! Make it stop! Why aren't you doing anything!" And then she fell asleep... I soon learned that the patient had Asperger Syndrome, a condition that makes social interaction extremely difficult, much like an autism disorder. I then learned that the patient had attempted to overdose on Tylenol the night prior. "Pale as a ghost," the patient was described as being upon arrival. . . 

The Mom was like one I have never been around... constantly getting up to make sure the covers were properly adjusted and that the stuffed animal was close by to the patient. Even when the patient would yell, "Stop touching me!" Mom would soon come back to the bed and if do nothing else, she would just stare... 

I could feel myself getting so annoyed! So frustrated that this Mom wouldn't just SIT and let the patient BE! And then I realized...I have no idea what this Mom [and later Dad joined too], were going through. 

The patient woke up, made some phone calls, and seemed jolly and cheerful. singing songs, laughing at the TV, happily painting. It made me wonder, 'what happens now?' Isn't there a level of embarrassment that is indescribable. What do the friends think? What does the rest of the family think? How does life just, go, from here? I'm not going to lie: as a middle-schooler, I was looking for some attention while my brother Nathan was hospitalized. I missed my mom SO much... I was alone all the time. And the honest to god truth is that I wanted to go to my "boyfriend's" house and my Mom wouldn't let me. So what did I do? I literally SCRATCHED my wrist with a fingernail clipper blade, and I told my best friend at the time that "I was bleeding pretty bad." What did she do? TOLD HER MOM. Duh!!! Her mom called my mom who was 35 minutes away in the HOSPITAL with my severely ill brother, and who RUSHED HOME to be with ME, her lame daughter who had SCRATCHED herself (it really wasn't bleeding...) I don't even remember what happened after that? I'm sure my mom and I had a discussion about suicide and craving attention and I know my mom talked to my teachers about what a hard time I was having with Nathan in the hospital. I went to school the next day. I don't even remember if I told my BOYFRIEND! I was such a brat! Looking back on that, I can't FATHOM how I would have felt if I had seriously overdosed or sliced my wrist open--obviously leading to hospitalization and institutions! I look back now and see a young middle school child, jealous of her sick brother (selfish in other words) and in desperate need of attention (or so she thought) and who only felt stupid in the long run. It didn't fix anything! What was I thinking??? I wasn't, clearly. 

But still! That memory makes me think about these child's lives that I sit in on now...What are they like? Most of them overdose on some pretty serious stuff. This patient's Tylenol level was over 122 upon arrival, and doctors like to see it below 30 before discharging, so it was pretty dang high. What do these children need? The mom seems to be suffocating with all the love and attention she wants to pour out on her teen! I know the patient has Asperger's Syndrome, but as I mentioned before, seems happy, jovial, giddy sometimes. Mood swings have came and passed all day... as expected for any 16 year old--but I can't figure it out.  

My obvious answer is that every single one of these children and their families need Jesus. You know how you can meet someone and feel a Christian connection with them and can generally tell within minutes if they are a Christ follower? Well, I have yet to find that. These teens are lost. They feel as though they are without hope. They do not have answers and they do not  know where to look for answers. Some of the teens are schizophrenic and bi-polar. Some of them are manic depressive or paranoid. It just makes me wonder, how in the world will I ever be able to help them? I have such a desire to give and show love. Don't these children know that high school ends? Middle school for that matter! Don't they know there is MORE? There are mountains and valleys and green grass and wildflowers and blue skies and farms and animals and sunshine and colorful clouds and pretty moons and well, the list is endless. If only that were enough. If only naming those things could help heal a child's heart. The world is a scary place, a dangerous place, sometimes nothing but a black hole to these teens, and all they want--is out. 

I can only pray my heart out as I sit here in this room, listening to the banter between the family, that Jesus will spread His light. The patient will be transferred to an institution after being discharged, where therapy will be required. Will that help? Who will be in these teens' lives to show them that there is MORE.  

Lord, please be with me. Life is hard. Even I get depressed and sad and lonely in this life. But I have You, Lord. Please make yourself known to these children. You have said to let the little Children come to YOU, and I beg that you direct them there. Use me, Father, to guide their hands and feet. I want their voids to be filled with the magnificence of your love. If it your will, give me a teaching job where I can have more one on one time with real students. I want to do your work, God and be your hands and feet. Please help me. Always be the light in me that inspires others to BE. 

I love you and I am so grateful for you. 

Isaiah 26:3

Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on THEE.

Tired Day

I am not adjusting to day shift very well! I could not sleep last night at all, even though I was pretty tired! I didn't actually fall asleep until around 2 a.m. and then I woke up every hour until I got up for work at 6am! NOW, I'm here at work and am exhausted! More so than I ever was during the night... Oh boy. This could be interesting! 
I'm sitting with a patient today. She is very sweet and makes me laugh. I love spending time with patients/kids! Some of their lives are so rough...more rough than mine ever was, and I remember being 15 and thinking my life was the worst! Little did I know! This one is in my prayers :) 


In other news, I officially applied to JCPS for elementary through high school special education positions! They received all my applications and I filled out the survey and I emailed most of the special school {state schools, i.e. psych schools] principals to give them my contact in CASE an opening occurs for one of those! I am so nervous and excited and I am not TOO hopeful about getting hired for this coming fall...but I sure am praying! I can't fathom if BOTH Ace and I had salary teaching jobs! With no children and just US, we would be able to buy a house, and start paying back student loans as well as pay off his car! I can't imagine!!!!


I am so exhausted... I can't even type really! I think it's time to lie down and watch some more TV. I doze on and off which I'm sure I'm not supposed to do but I can't help it! And this girl doesn't mind. She's SO sweet! 


We're having our friends Kenny and Krysten over tonight for a campfire and I'm very much looking forward to it! They only live a block away from us. It is VERY nice to have friends MY age, who have no desire to have babies yet, and who are newly married! God has blessed us!! He really and truly HAS blessed me and answered my prayer about friendship and girlfriends. Two girls from work I LOVE and have been starting to hang out with them outside of work--I love it! Thank you, Father!! :)