Week Four: New Orleans

Another week has flown by! I cannot believe how much time flies. Sometimes the hard shifts feel more like days than hours but then the days off just fly by. I don’t have a set schedule every week so my days are all mixed up.

Monday- Wednesday: I decided to clump all my days of work together this week because they were all in a row, so no fun to be had after work each night or in between shifts. Well Monday was a little “exciting” because Delta started grown in the Gulf and we were preparing for storm teams to come in and stay at the hospital. Since I was travel, my manager said I could do whatever I wanted and I told him that I would be on the storm team. It would be a whole new experience for me. For the sake of the people of New Orleans I hoped that it wouldn’t hit, but for my curiosity I wished it did. Thankfully it ended going to the west of us but my heart goes out to those people because they already got hit with a hurricane earlier this year. During these three days of work I was thankful for my coworkers that were giving me tips and tricks to get through my first hurricane. 

Thursday- Normally after three days in a row I just relax the first day off. I did for the morning and then went shopping for souvenirs in the evening for my family. I even got a few things for myself. My mom and sister tell me that I never buy anything except when I am without them. After a day of shopping we normally sit down and go through our spoils. If we aren’t together we play “how much did this cost?”. This tradition held up because I was able to facetime my mom and sister for a short while and catch up on things at home. I am thankful for the day off and the ability to keep in touch with my mom and sister. 

Friday: Wait, maybe I went shopping today. All my days are mixed up because I forgot to write or make notes through the days. I literally had nothing going on but I was too lazy to actually keep up with myself. Anyway today at mass, the priest was very troubled. If you’ve seen the news for the New Orleans parishes, you would be as well. He always asks for our prayers because it is hard being a priest. They are given many gifts but also many responsibilities so the devil comes at them hard time and time again. Being a Catholic, it breaks my heart to see a priest fall to temptation and I couldn’t imagine being a fellow priest and seeing a brother fall so hard. The priest at mass also made a good point, he said “Don’t think that by coming to mass every day, that you’re safe. The devil hates this so he’s going to come harder at you, the more you come to mass.”. It’s scary how true that is. By going to mass every day I have fallen in love more with but that makes the devil come at me stronger. I pray to have the strength to overcome temptation but it’s an every day battle, not just a one time thing. Today I am thankful that God not only gives me the strength but the choice to follow Him.

Saturday: Today I was blessed with friendship. I started the day off with breakfast in the French Quarter with Kat. We were seated on an adorable balcony that overlooked the streets. Since I am in New Orleans I get fish anytime I can. This breakfast consisted of a stuffed crab omelet, cheese grits and mimosas! As always New Orleans doesn’t disappoint with food. Below are some pictures from the Quarter but they don’t capture the culture or the atmosphere. Dinner was compiled of friendship and food and laughter with Charles, another Spring Hill grad. God bless the school that gave me so many wonderful people. Today I am thankful for the friends that became close to family that Spring Hill gave me. 

Sunday: Just got to get through the day to go see Rachel in Birmingham! That’s going to be a good trip and well worth the five hour drive its going to take!

AGAPE,

Elizabeth