Customer Service At Its Finest

Ok, so I am confident when I say that I am not the only one that has been beyond disappointed with customer service, or should I say lack of these days. This is an issue that I have had for quite some time and quite frankly, I’ve had enough! I mean I know that you can not expect a lot from high school and college employees, but what has it come to? What is wrong with the work ethic of America? Why does nobody want to work and since when is it ok to get away with being lazy and actually getting paid for it?!!? How do we ever teach kids what it means to truly work for something if we are paying them not to? Ah! I could go on forever, but instead, I will share with you three different encounters that have all happened in the last week….

Scenario 1
Guy behind counter talking on cell phone.
We walk up to counter.
Guy still talks on cell phone.
We are standing there waiting for him to get off. We wouldn’t want to interrupt.
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.
Finally, about a minute later he gets off and says, “Oh did y’all want to order something?”
Oh no, we just came up here to see what you were saying to your buddy on the other end of the phone….

Scenario 2
Me and a friend were doing some shopping and then proceed to checkout.
We get to checkout counter and set all of our stuff down on the counter.
Cashier has her cell phone in hand, texting. She literally looks at us, neither says nor does nothing and then looks over at her fellow teeny-bopper friend and says, “How do you spell mustard?”
My friend and I look at each other and you could tell we were both wondering if this was really happening.
She finishes her text puts her phone down and then says “Oh hi, how are y’all doing?”
I didn’t respond. I just gave her “the look.”
In the middle of checking us out, her cell phone rings.
Seriously?
She answers, but surprisingly tells the person on the other end that she can’t talk.
She finally finishes checking us out with of course no courtesy or respect.

Scenario 3
Me, to the very Abercrombie looking cashier: Yes sir, I bought these glasses while out of town, but I have a gift card for them that I didn’t have with me at the time so I would like to return them and re-buy them with the gift card.
Mr. Abercrombie: Well I don’t really think we do that.
Me: Well then just give me my money back for them then.
Mr. Abercrombie: O.K. I can do that.
Me: And then I will just buy them right back.
Mr. Abercrombie: Oh…ok.
Me: See, so what’s the difference.
Mr. Abercrombie: Well I guess you’re right, but that’s just a really weird request.
*Ok, maybe I’m just being sensitive, but I took offense to this. We are talking about 40 bucks here! You wouldn’t think it was weird if it meant $40 in your pocket!*
Anyway, he proceeds with the transaction.
Once it was all done, cash was in hand and gift card was swiped, I was walking out the door and I turned to him and said, “Just in case anyone hasn’t told you, it’s pretty rude to tell a customer that they have a weird request.” He responded with a laugh which made me sure that my comment didn’t phase him one bit. But at least it made me feel better.

And Mark gets upset when I want to report incidences like the three mentioned above to the managers….
What would you do??

On the other hand, I guess it's not always horrible. I did call Lowe’s today to report some exceptional service we got there.

Why I Do What I do...

Here is a conversation that happened between me and one of patients yesterday....

Mrs. M: Crystal, I just want to tell you that I love each and everyone of you so much.
Me: Aw. Thank you Mrs. M we love you too.
Mrs. M: Y'all are always just so sweet to me and take good care of me and I tell you, with y'all taking care of me, I don't worry at all.
Me: Thank you Mrs. M you are so sweet to us and I am so glad that we make you feel good about your care.
Mrs. M: And let me tell you something else, I pray for y'all all the time.
Me: Thank you Mrs. M, we need that!
Mrs. M: Well y'all do so much and I do pray for y'all and think of all a lot and I am just so thankful to have y'all.
Me: We appreciate that Mrs. M. We really do.
Mrs. M: You know, I have seen so people be so horrible to their doctors and nurses and I just don't see how they can be that way when they oughta be thankful for someone who has done so much to take care of them.
Me: Mrs. M, thank you so much. We really do appreciate that. Thank you for always being so sweet to us. You make it a joy to take care of you.
Mrs. M: Well I mean everything I said, sugar.

In a midst of crazy hours, long days, not- so- sweet patients, and feeling like it doesn't matter to some patients what I do, it's conversations like these that remind me exactly why I do it all.......

A Blog-Worthy Birthday!

Well, this post is about three weeks late, but two Mondays ago, I turned 25. A whole quarter of a century old. Turning 25 was a little harder than I thought it would be, but all in all, this birthday day was so great for me that I want to have it in writing so I can remember every little detail of this day forever!

To give you a little preface, when Mark was asking me what I wanted for my birthday, I told him "nothing" because one, I don't need anything. And two, the older you get, the less birthdays matter the less it feels like your birthday. Well boy did he prove me wrong! The day started off as I got woken up to his beautiful voice singing me happy birthday. Then, I go into the bathroom to take a shower and he has written Happy Birthday all over my mirror with dry erase marker. While I was in the shower, he snuck out and got me breakfast. Which happened to be my favorite guilty pleasure….Whataburger breakfast platter with extra hash browns instead of a biscuit, complete with a diet DP. And he got it right on! (I know, I know, my whole week's calories in one meal, but hey it's my day to indulge). Once my breakfast was delivered, he was on his way and I was left to finish getting ready. Well, when I got out to the car, it was FULL of balloons!

I could barely get in! I literally laughed out loud at that one. That totally caught me of guard. Then I found a card on the steering wheel. Inside the card there was a CD. I put the CD in and what do I hear? "They say it's your birthday….."(you know the rest of the song:-) What a fun way to start my day! The rest of the CD was a combination of songs from Mark that were "our" songs along with some other birthday songs. My day was off to such a fun start. When I got to work, one of the girls was waiting for me with a gift in hand. She gave me some crosses to add to my cross wall. Then a fellow nurse gave me an Ulta gift card! Shortly after, our office manager comes with some coffee in hand along with a new cookbook! Boy does she know me! And right after that, another lady brings in flowers and a blockbuster gift card! The morning got even better when I got to see my very favorite patient! When early afternoon came, so did an Edible arrangement from my sweet husband! It was so cute and so not expected!

Not long after that, I walked into the kitchen of our office and found a sundae bar! What a fun alternative since I can't have cake! So ice cream sundaes with all the toppings it was for me!

That's when my boss gave me a very generous gift card to the spa!

I had a good day at work and then I was headed home. All I was told is that I had to be ready at 6:30. So after work I went home and gussied up. I was then chauffeured to Abuelo's (who has an awesome gluten free menu!) Awaiting at a table were my brother in law, Mom, and MiMi (my dad and brother were out of town). We enjoyed a nice dinner and finished it off with some flan! Yummo! When we got home, I thought the night was over, but to my surprise my man brings out an amazing gf cake that he made all by himself!

This is fondant my friends, made from scratch. He really put a lot of effort into this. Who's the Ace of Cakes now?? Don't worry, I didn't eat the cake, I found my stopping point on sweets for the day. :-) Instead, I waited to have it for breakfast the next morning! Along with my cake was a card a yet another CD full of sweet songs. Mark took me and the CD into our room and we danced! He knows that I love to dance, but he doesn't really like to, so we never do. I thought that was very thoughtful of him. And that my friends is the story of my quarter of century marker day. My day was so memorable. Thank you to everyone for making it so wonderful with cards, calls, and emails. And thank you to my precious husband for all that you did to make my day truly special.

His birthday is Tomorrow. How will I ever top that??

a recipe that i just HAD to post!

Hey friends: I have tried to let you all know, but my blog has a new address. (I might post more on this later, but basically it has to do with privacy issues with a person that I encounter every day plus google, you can probably figure it out). However, I have not really posted a lot lately, because I am just sort of having that feeling of "so who cares about what I have to say?" I know it's a funk........I'll get over it.

Anyway- back to the real reason I posted: this awesome recipe! I can always count on Southern Living for a great recipe. I tried this new recipe tonight and my husband and my brother-in-law (who is staying with us) RAVED about it! The best part is that it was quick and easy. So, I wanted to share it with my internet world.

Spaghetti with Sausage and Peppers
8oz. uncooked spaghetti (I use gluten free, you use whatever you choose!)
1 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed (don't cheat and get the Jimmy Dean kind, go for the real stuff!)
1 medium onion, cut into eighths (once I cut it into eighths, I cut them in half again)
1 medium-sized green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium-sized red or yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 28oz. can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1/4 tsp. salt (I use sea salt...yum!)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in large dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking sausage into pieces while cooking. Remove sausage and drippings from skillet and drain onto paper towels. (To remove casing from sausage: cut through the casing lengthwise on one side of each sausage. Remove meat.)
3. Saute onion and next 3 ingredients in hot oil in skillet over medium-high heat 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and pepper; cook 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in sausage, pasta, and cheese. Transfer to serving platter and serve!

This definitely gave spaghetti a new twist! I hope you love it as much as we did!

maybe i could quit my day job?

Ok Dear Internet, here's what I would do if I didn't need a real job! This is the cake that I made for my nephew's birthday. For months he has been talking about having a football birthday party. So what better to go with football party than a football cake?!

We had a great time......he loved the cake.......and I can't believe he's 4!

a unexpected delightful date!

Shortly after I got to work on Wednesday I got a phone call from the doctor I work for telling me to reschedule all of his patients that day because he was very sick. He had already called and cancelled all of his procedures at the hospital and wasn't able to see patients in the office that day. My first thought was YES! I actually get to take a LUNCH break today! That my friends is the one and only reason I was excited. Most days are so busy that us nurses work right through lunch (eating in between patients) and still work overtime. (This is another blog in itself!) I have learned that's just "one of those things" about working in a busy practice, and have adapted accordingly. Every now and then I can get away if I really need to run an errand, but never for a WHOLE hour. So....what did I do? I called my man to see if he wanted to meet me for lunch. He said yes! Well, being the frugal man that he is, and since he so lovingly packed BOTH of our lunches that morning, he thought we should eat what he had already packed for us instead of going out. So what did we do? You guessed it! We brought our lunches to the park and had a picnic! It was so nice to get to be with him in the middle of the day. Sometimes I struggle with working so much because I feel like it takes away from our time. So this hour with him was so precious; and what made it even better is that it was like a surprise date! So dear internet, that is all, and while it is probably not that exciting to any of you, these are the little things in life that bring me joy. I've gotta figure out how to make this happen more often!

UH OH.....

After the loud and scary storm last night, this is what we woke up to this morning....

I hope I don't have to take back all of the Christmas presents I bought so that I can replace the shed and all of its contents :-)

On top of this mess, it's wet and COLD in College Station. But thank you Jesus that this happened to our shed and not our HOME.

my first gluten free thanksgiving

Well, as some of you know, about 6 months ago I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance/celiac disease. This is a genetic and autoimmune disorder that does not allow my body to digest wheat, rye, barley and some other grains. (More info here: http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-topic-overview) This has eliminated about 90% of all food that I used to consume and has made cooking and eating quite an adjustment. It is difficult for me to eat a lot of "casserole type" foods due to the fillers. One of those things that is now a no-no for me is turkey's greatest companion: dressing! So.... in order for me not to miss out on one of the critical elements of this day of giving thanks, my precious mother (who hates to cook) stayed up all night last night making dressing with NO wheat/gluten! She made sure to include only ingredients that I could eat. Thanks Mama! It wouldn't have been Thanksgiving without the dressing! It turned out GREAT and I had to get a picture of her with her prized recipe! Isn't she adorable?

We also had: cream cheese artichoke dip (for an appetizer), fried turkey, prime rib, shrimp, sausage, roasted green beans, green bean casserole, potato casserole, yams, and marinated mushrooms. Ya think we went a little overboard? Can you tell my dad likes to cook? And to finish it off: some fruit and this wonderful pumpkin cheesecake that I made. It was DIVINE!

Did I mention that there were only SIX of us there!? We ate way too much and then all slept for about 3 hours! Our one day out of the year to be shamelessly gluttonous!

Hope everyone had a great day and an enjoyable time with the ones you love!

Life in College Station as we know it...

Life in College Station is…..sweet, beautiful, gorgeous, awesome.
I am loving being in this town. Work is busy and challenging at times, but overall it is really great. I am so blessed to not only have found my calling, but that God has given me the strength to pursue it. We have established a routine which is nice. I have been cooking pretty much every night and we haven’t had fast food in months. It feels good. I have been taking a jazz class which has been very fun. I was really missing dance, so it’s nice to be able to go for an hour and a half each week. There is a great park right by our house with tennis courts, a pool and a walking track, so we have been spending a lot of time there. Mark is making some big changes as far as further education and career and we are looking forward to what unfolds in that area. My family is here and I get to see my nephew all the time which is truly one of the best things about being here. I love hanging out with the little guy. His sweet spirit refreshes me.

We have been here for six months and still have not found a church. But we haven’t really been looking. And to be really honest; it doesn’t bother me one bit that we don’t have a “church home”. There are people that say we should, and there are plenty of people who have invited us, but how do I tell them that I am not interested!?! I am not sure why we have not been in a hurry to find a church. Maybe it’s because we loved our last church so much that we don’t think anything else can compare. Maybe it’s because we are afraid of getting sucked into “serving” way more than we want to. Maybe I like spending Sunday mornings with my man. Whatever it is, I haven’t figured it out. But…I think it’s ok. I know that it will come in time. I think God understands. He knows my heart is still His.

In other news: my Christmas shopping is done and my tree is UP! :-)

3 amazing years...

Yesterday Mark and I celebrated our three year anniversary. It is hard to believe that three years have already passed. Sometimes it seems like it's been forever, and other times it feels like just yesterday we were at the altar making that sacred promise to each other. We had a great night last night on our anniversary date, reminiscing about our life together thus far and dreaming of what's to come (no babies yet :-). There is nothing better than going through life with my love and very best friend by my side, and I am so honored to share my life with such an incredible man.
Thank you Mark for always being so amazingly supportive of me, for choosing to love me every day (even though some days are easier than others :-), for always letting me know that you love me, for desiring to honor your Lord with your life and through our marriage, for serving me continuously and wholeheartedly always, for being my best friend, for putting our marriage first, and for being selfless no matter what. I am grateful for the last three years and am looking forward to many more anniversaries with you. I love you forever.

sweetness is....

Falling asleep in the arms of my love
The perfect cup of coffee
Breakfast with my dad
A phone call from an old friend
Helping and loving people every day
A long relaxing bath
A new hair cut and color
Sitting on the front porch in the rocking chairs with my grandparents at their house
Not having anything to do on a weekend afternoon
Gifts left in my room by my mom when I come home
Being in the same town as my family

What a sweet life. Thank you Jesus.

traditions

We have breakfast for dinner on Sunday nights. Tonight we had link sausage and eggs and I made pancakes for Mark. He told me to make them "reeeally reeeally light brown." That's how he likes them. I am not really sure how this tradition started, but we have been doing it since we first got married.

We also have hamburgers every Saturday night. This tradition goes all the way back to when Mark's dad was growing up. They had them every Saturday when he was little, and then he continued the tradition on to his family and then Mark and I have continued it also. I know it's kind of weird to have your weekend meals planned out like that, but it really does make for a more relaxing weekend.

Another tradition we have is that we have date night every Friday (that is when we are in town). I wonder if this will continue when we have kids? I hope!

One fun Schinzler tradition is that on the first or second weekend in August a whole bunch of us go down to Rockport for the weekend. We fish and go to the beach and swim and EAT. Tons of fun. The first time I went Mark and I had been married for three weeks and we slept in a twin bed together!

A fun tradition that we had when I was growing up is that the night before Easter, my brother and I would go in the backyard and pick a whole bunch of grass and bring it in to make a nest for the Easter bunny. Mark and I still do this too!

And alas, Mrs. Hinojosa, if you read this, you will be happy to know that we have followed in y'alls footsteps and make sure to keep our tradition of Sunday "naps" :-)

What are your traditions?

And those 3 or 4 of you, (you know who you are) who tell me all the time that you read my blog, time for you to give some input! I want to hear your traditions too :-)

just life...

A solid two months since I have blogged...I feel as though that some sort of indication of how my life has been lately. I have had no time. No time to journal, or gather my thoughts. No time to do what I want to do. No time to just sit. I am truly not trying to be a complainer but I feel very overwhelmed lately by the feeling that my life is being dictated by a clock and a calendar. There is always some where to be or something that needs to be done. I am struggling to be a good student, good wife, good church member, good servant, good family member, and good friend. And I feel like between all of these, I am being pulled in so many directions. My weekdays start at 5a.m. and my weeknights and even weekends are completely devoted to studying. Mark and I have tried to reserve Fridays for date night, which has worked pretty well up until we had to be out of town every weekend in March. And my inability to say No has turned my Saturdays into major chaos because on top of having to study, I commit myself to other things whether it be friends, church or family. Then my Saturdays end up being non-stop because I am squeezing so much into one day. And Sundays....well of course are church, then lunch, then nap then study. So those days are pretty much routinely full. All of this and I don't even have kids! Jesus help me! What will I do when those little munchkins come along? I know that I am in a season right now and that in 22 days when school is over, that will be a major time constraint that will be lifted. But for now, I'm tired. Drained. In every way. These past two months have been quite a whirlwind. I have had a Grandfather have major back surgery, a Grandmother in ICU, a mother have two hospital visits, a step-aunt commit suicide and a family dealing with the effects of it, a husband have a "scare" with some health issues, and did I mention that I am trying to make it through 4 more weeks of nursing school? I guess I just feel like I have a lot on me right now, and maybe a little frustrated because I feel like some people in my life don't understand the load I am carrying. It might not sound like a lot to some people, and maybe I'm a whiner. Maybe I am just a big fat wimp. Maybe I am being selfish. Maybe I just need to seek my Lord and the greater purpose in all of this. Life has been crazy, scary, hard, heavy, tricky, challenging, demanding, testy, tough. Help me Lord to find joy in the journey.

On a positive note, there was some fun in the month of March. My beautiful, dear, red-headed, life long friend Brooke got married and I was honored to stand with her on that day. Then two weeks later I got to go to Indiana to see my precious and sweet and pregnant friend Barbie. We shared in her baby shower with her and I am so grateful that we got to do that. It was nice to be able to get away for the weekend and to spend some much needed time with her.

Thank you Lord that even though I don't always see it, you have given me an abundant life!

i'm goin on a trip!

I got a ticket to Indiana! To see a great Friend! Woo Hoo!

IN it? or OF it?

What does it truly mean to be in this world and not of it?
I mean yeah, I guess you could say I’m different… People know that I go to church on Sundays, and that I don’t curse, and that I have an awesome relationship with my husband. But do they know that all of these are an amazing result of my relationship with my beautiful Savior? Do they know that it is because of what he has done in my life? Do they know it’s because of my desire to serve Him and be a good reflection of Him? Just because I don’t participate in all of the things that other people do, does that mean that I am truly being righteous? Because right now, to me, I am just different. I am constantly surrounded by people who care about all the “stuff.” People who don’t care so much about going to church as much as they do about what they are going to wear to church. Instead of clothing themselves with humility, they are clothing themselves with Abercrombie, Gap, and Express. People who pay thousands of dollars to try to look like the girl on the cover of the magazine. Since when is being a beautiful child of the King not enough? People who find it necessary to let everyone know their financial status. Store up your treasures in Heaven.
The problem is, is that it is so easy to get sucked into. And I have to admit; at times I have been guilty of all of these things. So what do I do? Where do I draw the line? Is it ok to want something nice every now and then? Is it ok to go and get a new hair cut and want to look nice because it makes me feel good? Is it ok to bless someone financially even if it means people will know how much you gave? This is a tough issue for me lately. I feel like I have been drowning in people who desire the things of the world. And although sometimes I crave those things, I don’t want to be pulled in to this greedy existance. I want to influence the world, not let it influence me. What I really desire are the things of God. I want to invest in the things of Eternity. So what does this look like? I don’t think I really need straight answers. I think the bottom line is that I need to continue to seek to be like my Lord. When people look at me, I want them to see HIM.

Lord teach me what it means to be righteous. Teach me what it means to be like you even when I feel like I am in a world where it is so hard not to be.

happy new year!

wow....it's been a while, but i have been really sick with green stuff coming out of my mouth, nose, and even my eyes...so my new years consisted of a date with my husband and couch, a bunless boca burger, a toast with crystal light in a plastic champagne glass and in bed by 10:30!

but...happy new year everyone!

it's cold! and it's finals week!

So I am actually really enjoying the cold weather.EXCEPT when I get up with the morning. Because our house is on pier and beam foundation (blocks), that cold air likes to come right up through the floor. We only have a heater in our bedroom and living room, and we keep the one in the living room off at night. In the mornings, it has been so cold in the rest of the house that it literally hurts to walk on the floor barefoot. Good thing I have some old lady house slippers! Our bathroom gets especially cold also. Can you imagine getting out of the shower, and stepping into a freezing room? So what did I do? I bought a space heater. I love my space heater. Not only because of the warmth it gives me, but because of the memories it brings also....

When I was little my Mimi lived in the same kind of house we did, except for hers was about 4 times bigger. I used to love to stay with her when it was cold because it meant that we got to use the space heater when we took a bath. She would go upstairs and turn it on a few minutes before I got in there, and by the time it was time for me to take a bath, the bathroom was nice and toasty. I LOVED IT. The best part was, when I got out of the tub, I did not even have to think about being cold. I would just stand there in front of that heater and let it dry me off. And then I would sit in that bathroom and be warm until she forced me out! I loved the way standing in front of that heater felt...
I kind of do the same thing now. When I get out of the shower, I love to stand in front of my space heater and just be warm. Oh the little things in life that bring me pleasure. Thank you Lord that I have a way to get warm when it is cold.

Finals are this week.......2 tomorrow, 2 Thursday, and 1 Friday....I can make it....then what?!
Dinner and drinks at Saltgrass!

thankful...

I know that Thanksgiving in still two days away, but as the holiday approaches, I am reminded of all the things I have for which to give thanks....

I am thankful for:

-My two precious, cute, sweet but needy puppies who love to cuddle.
-My more awesome than words could describe husband who truly knows how to love not only me, but everyone unconditionally.
-Getting notes from him that say: “just want you to know I love your eyes and your smile. I look forward to them every day.”
-Knowing that notes like that are sincere.
-My amazing family who continues to love and support me in every way.
-My 100% adorable nephew who is healthy and full of life and brings so much joy to our family.
-Stellar friends who continue to encourage, challenge, and build me up.
-The person who created flip flops.
-The unique opportunity that the Lord has given me to serve others through becoming a nurse and the way He has increased my faith in the process.
-A place to rest my head each night that I can call my home.
-Food on my table every day.
-A life of abundance that I do not deserve but receive because of God's mercy and grace.
-His faithfulness in my faithlessness, His strength in my weakness and His joy in my sorrow.
-Being called a Child of God!

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians 5:18

Dear Friends-
I pray that you will have a blessed thanksgiving. May we all always remember all the great things the Father has done for us.

What are you thankful for?

want to get a good workout?

Well if you do, then just take these two crazy, hyper, a.d.d, anxious jack russell terriers out for a "walk". It is insane. For the past few weeks we have been walking and taking them with us. Mark usually walks one, and I usually walk one, so it is pretty easy. Well the past 3 days, Mark has had to work late, so I have had to take both of them by myself. I thought about just taking one, but I just couldn't do it. I felt bad leaving one behind. You would have thought that I learned my lesson after the first day of the madness, but I guess I thought it would get better. My "walk" quickly turns into a run most of the time. So hey, at least I am getting some good cardio in?!
They sure are cute though aren't they?!

one year later and it's still fresh

Along this road that they call life, I have encountered a violent storm. Not only does its thunder shake the windows of my heart, but its winds stir up every deepest part of my being. Last Tuesday marked the year anniversary that my dear cousin lost her life in a very tragic car accident. And no, there was not even a drunk driver involved. Just an eighteen wheeler and lots of rain.
24 years is all we got before the Lord decided to take her home.

I remember Mark coming to my office to tell me the news. I remember my amazing friend coming to my house to help me pack and then leave her four kids at home to drive me to College Station. I remember getting there and going to my aunt and uncle's house where my whole family was gathered and in shock. I mostly remember the next morning going to the funeral home with my family and watching my aunt and uncle make arrangements to bury their 24 year old daughter. I remember them asking us questions and all of us trying to keep it together enough to plan a funeral. I remember picking out a casket. I remember thinking that no one should ever have to do this. And it is still as fresh today as it was then...

Her real name was Kathleen but to us, she was and has always been just Katie. And that is exactly what she was…just Katie. And that is what I loved about her. One of the most simplistic people you could ever know. What you saw is what you got. She didn’t try to be something she wasn’t, and she definitely never sugar coated anything. She said it like it was. If you wanted to know the truth, you just asked Katie! And it didn’t matter what you thought, because she didn’t care. She was full of life and enthusiasm. She traveled lightly through this world because money and material things were not important to her. What was important to her though was people. She loved people, especially kids and her family. She was an awesome example of a true servant. She was always the first to want to help others. She loved to laugh. Her dream was to become a nurse; that is something she wanted so badly. It is actually something we have both dreamed of. We used to joke about who would finish first since we were both taking an abnormally long time to get through school.
I got accepted to nursing school two months after she died.
An extra special blessing for me because I feel privileged to finish the race that was set out for us both. This is what we both wanted, and I get to do it. But there are some days when I want to just pick up the phone and call her. And I almost did. I want to tell her how we were supposed to do this together and how I don’t want to do this without her. I want to tell her how I think of her every day when I am caring for my patients and how her memory lives on inside of me because of the example she set for me that I get to imitate daily.

Precious Katie, how I long for you to still be here, how I cry for you to come and sit with me, and come talk with me, and come laugh that hearty laugh with me. My heart aches because I want you here, but my soul rejoices for you because you are now face to face with our beautiful Savior. I think about how much I miss you and I start to feel sorry for myself. But then I think about everyone who never got a chance to meet you, and I feel sorry for them. My wonderful, exuberant, larger than life cousin who graced this earth with her presence for 24 beautiful years. I love you and miss you every day.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. –Psalm 139:16
Though yours came sooner than anyone expected or hoped, I will not ask why. I will cling to the promise and privilege of being part of a greater plan. I look forward to seeing you again someday.

Katie V. Young
You are always in my heart…