Sarah Who Wanders...

I write not because I am an open book to all, but because many of you have been following my journey from afar for years-emailing and messaging me encouragement. I have treasured that and call you friends.  As many of you know, I announced today that I will be taking a role part time in Eugene instead of the one as originally planned full time in Albany. It was with a lot of prayer and consideration. I am having to have faith that all of the pieces of this puzzle will click together to create one lovely vision. I had a lot of hesitation about the role that I had accepted especially over time and after doing my specialty rotation in psychiatry. I've spent many years trying to figure out not only who I am but what it is exactly that I want to offer the world. I knew there would be some combination of working with children, my background in education, and my passion for mental health. There are sometimes I felt like Goldilocks where nothing was "quite right." Mental health f...

 This has been the best summer of my life, and still has another month to go! Since completing my MSN/FNP program and becoming board certified in May, I have been enjoying the most PERFECTLY BALANCED schedule. I am working just 16-20 hours per week still as an RN and there is glorious time available. If this is at all in your budget ever  in this lifetime, I can truly say I have never felt healthier, happier and less stressed.  After almost 3 years of balls against the wall (I'm sorry I can really think of no other way to describe it and know the metaphor is not anatomically accurate 😏), studying and learning and putting myself out there I now have time to REST. I have time to BREATHE. I have time to cultivate new and other passions. I began piano lessons and am learning very quickly, or so my instructor assures me. BTW, she is the nicest person ever and told me she feels silly giving lessons to someone who is "a professional," to which I replied, "Why? I want to le...

 I have been wanting to have the courage to travel solo for almost as long as I have dreamed of travel. I love my sons and my hubby-all of which are excellent travelers by the way, but there's something about a trip just for yourself.  Going somewhere I care about going, seeing things I want to see, meeting other people from around the globe. Barrett knows this has been a goal of mine for some time.  In 2015 I visited Rome with my friend Candi. I joined her for just 5 (AMAZING) days of her (even more amazing) journey through Italy and Israel. It was a joy to be there and 5 days was really all Barrett and I could swing for me to be gone, but I was thankful to come along. While I had a companion, I also had some of the joys and anxieties of traveling alone. I had my own room, I had to look out for my own bathroom and hunger needs (I am kinda like traveling with a toddler-potty stops and snacks please!), and I had some time each day or evening totally on my own. ALL ALONE-in...

I really am quite a simple creature, though many of you probably don't believe that.  You see me with my hair not a messy wreck and mascara on (I almost ALWAYS have mascara on mind you because my lashes are like nonexistent!), and you think "she has it all together,"-or maybe you don't think that and I flatter myself hahaha!  While it is true that I often have polish on my finger and toenails and a lightly made up face, it is only because I enjoy these things. Often going anywhere outside my home-including to work-garners a bit more effort, but I promise you I am NOT a girl that takes hours to get ready-Not that there is anything wrong with that! I have honestly had to pare down my routine and products (I may have used to have been that girl!) so that I can fit in things that are also important to me in getting ready for the day: yoga, time with God, and uh...more sleep! My most relaxed self is as pictured below, tank top/camisole from Old Navy, leggings, yoga tee-com...

 As promised, a new blog series here called "Sarah Says" with my personal recommendations on things I love. I will review books, travel destinations, household products/decor, Zen living (yoga mats, essential oils, etc.) and clothing/cosmetics as well as some of my favorite Amazon finds. If you can think of something you'd like reviewed by yours truly-let me know and I would be happy to look into it more! Today, we talk books. I am an avid reader, always have been, and while I work a bit less this summer and early fall I am getting to indulge almost to my heart's desire. If you too love to spend an entire day curled up with a book-or if you get in snippets between chasing toddlers and cleaning up messes, I have some great books for you. All books are recommended based on nothing more than my personal taste and the emotions they stirred up in me.  June Goals give or take a few ;) Disclaimer #1: I will try to tell you in the post and in future book reviews if a book has...