New Year's Eve

An awesome night in Mission Springs. Card games, s'mores, the obligatory banging of pots and pans by at least one neighboring family, struggling to stay awake... It was like childhood all over again!

Hultgren Family Christmas

The celebration of Christmas spreads over multiple days in my family. I was working for the extended family events but was able to call and share pictures with cousins (my little cousins are far more adorable than yours, just saying...).

When my immediate family finally got together we shared amazing food prepared by my mom, good conversation, and fun games filled with laughter. (Presents too, but I enjoy the family time so much more.)

 And it can't be a family gathering without a funny family photo.

The theme this year, "They are all married except me!"

Just a Dusting

All it takes a is a dusting of snow and...

The local TV stations were treating the morning commute as if this were the apocalypse. People were slowly driving on the side streets at half speed ("cautiously driving" I could understand, but half speed?!?). Schools were either opening 2 hours late or not at all. There were a few fender benders on the roads. Thankfully no fatalities, just a little slipping and sliding.

I wonder what would happen if the PNW had a storm that mimicked one from the Midwest. How would the businesses  react? How would drivers handle it?

My Own Tree

There is a term in nursing known as "floating". We usually all dread it when we hear that our unit will be tasked to send a nurse to another floor to work for the shift. All too often we, as the ICU nurse, are given the maximum number of patients allowed or we get the emotionally challenging patient that the other nurses simply don't want to care for.

I, however, am rather fortunate when floating. So far I have only floated to the recovery room, the Pediatric ICU, and the telemetry unit. And with each float, I have been welcomed and treated very kindly. The unit I floated to today was so generous they even gave me my own tree on their team wall! It was my short day (only 8-hours) but a stress-free float.

The Holiday Festival

So that farm I like to spend some spare time at had its Holiday Festival today. While I am thankful it was not raining, I do wish it could have been a few degrees warmer. It was a day spent watching adorable little kiddos bundled in many layers for warmth smile at the site of animals and holiday treats.

Junebug looks adorable while I look...special

 

After 4 hours of being patient for photos, Jubilee was done with her photo shoot. She found the one weak point in the makeshift hay corral and kept testing it. In between family photos, I would sit in the weak point to keep her from escaping. The bonus was the warm blanket under.

 

 

Midnight Shopping and Chick-fil-A

I am always amazed with what can be found during Black Friday.

 

And I love a little Chick-fil-A with my Burdine family in NC!

 

Thanksgiving Greetings

NASCAR Hall of Fame

Again, I am not a huge fan of NASCAR but am now fascinated by its history. I had no idea it was our Moonshiners that were the true origins of the sport. Now I understand the amount of alcohol that NASCAR events can consume. My Uncle John and Aunt Tammi took me to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and I walked around in awe of the history before my eyes. There were some absolutely beautiful recreations of some of the original famous cars within the sport.

Charlotte Motor Speedway

My cousin Alex works at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and gave me a behind the scenes tour of his "office". I am not a huge NASCAR fan, but I have to admit that this was pretty cool!

I am still in awe of the fact that my baby cousins are growing up and have real jobs.

Letters from Kristi's Class

During my Iraq deployment, Kristi had the students in her first grade class write me letters for Veteran's Day. And I will admit that these are some of the cutest things I get to read. I truly look forward to reading what the kids wrote.

And as a bonus, when I get to visit SoCal I always try to go and see her students. It is so much fun to see their adorable faces with their gigantic smiles.

Here is a glimpse of some of the letters I received this year.

Kristi's Birthday Surprise

After a month of speaking in hushed tones amongst friends, it all worked out beautifully tonight as we were able to surprise Kristi for her birthday dinner. She knew of 4 people that would be at her dinner yet the table was set for five...

Kristi had no idea I would be in town for her birthday weekend. It was an awesome surprise!

A night early as she and the rest of the gang have to work on Friday (the actual day) but a wonderful evening of friends, homemade food (thanks Amy), and good conversation.

"Fishing" at the Farm

No luck today, but I will be trying again.

My Brother's Wedding

Chilling with my cousin Alyson after

my cousin Brittany styled our hair.

Maintaining a level of seriousness prior to the event.

The send-off kiss from the sisters. 

My sister Jennifer, Erik the Groom,

Megan the Bride/my new sister, and me

With my rockstar neighbor Ann

 A glimpse of our redecorating of Megan and Erik's home.

Pre-Wedding Family Shenanigans

Me and my sibs the day before Erik and Megan's big day.

My cousin Makenzie representing with the 'stache.  

Cousin Alyson rocking the 'stache

The must-have Bohnanza



Family rockin' out with the Phase 10

Cousins Alyson, Makayla, and Brittany playing Cups.

I love Makayla's smile and how her parents 

(upper left) both lovingly watch her 

US Army Captain and Nurse Jennifer M. Moreno Memorial

 

¹ Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
² He is my loving God and my fortress,
    my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples under me.

Psalm 144:1-2

Captain Jennifer M. Moreno was deployed with the Cultural Support Team assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, supporting a Joint Special Operations Task Force. She was described by Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Ellis, Commander of 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, as "a talented member of our team who lost her life while serving her country in one of the most dangerous environments in the world. Her bravery and self-sacrifice were in keeping with the highest traditions of the 75th Ranger Regiment. She was making a difference in Afghanistan and that legacy will live on."

CPT Moreno was posthumously promoted to the rank of Captain and awarded the Combat Action Badge, Bronze Star Medal with Valor, Meritorious Service Medal, Purple Heart, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the NATO medal.

When not deployed, CPT Moreno was assigned as a Staff Nurse to 7North (Surgical Ward), Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington.

CPT Moreno is survived by her mother, Maria Cordova, her sisters Jearaldy Moreno and Yaritza Moreno of San Diego, California, and her brother US Army Sergeant Ivan Moreno with his wife Vanessa and son Ivan.

Carving Pumpkins

After an evening of being present and listening to the stories of others, there ended up being a theme to what I carved this year. I still have one pumpkin left, and would like it to NOT be work or military related. Just need some inspiration.

And I noticed that carving pumpkins gets a little more sophisticated as we get older. I do not remember my dad breaking out the drill when I was a kid.

Les Miserables

I have missed going to the theatre!!!

As I had an unexpected weekend off IN TOWN (super rare these past few months) I took full advantage of it and spent time doing what I like to do. One of which is going to the theatre for live performances. My brother, sister, and I were very fortunate to be raised by parents that valued the arts and wanted us to be exposed to the creativity of others. I can remember going with my family to see the San Francisco Symphony perform Peter and the Wolf. I can remember seeing Phantom of the Opera on stage while in Junior High. I have loved each and every performance since. I might be an addict.

There could be worse things to be addicted to...

It's Over, But Know This

The fourth line of the US Army Nurse Corps creed reads,

“I protect the dignity of every individual put in my charge”.

I am not in a command position, but am a member of a team. And as such, I believe it is my responsibility to protect my teammates at all costs.

Something that has consumed the last five months of my life is now over. These five months were stressful, emotional, and hurtful at times to the point of tears. I can confess that there were times I wanted to tap out. Times I wanted to protect my own heart as it still has moments of fragility.

Whether intentional or unintentional, to anyone that inflicts stress, pain, or harm to someone or something I care about, know this -

I will protect my team. I will fight for what I believe to be right and to be moral. I will not allow things to be swept under the rug and be ignored. I WILL protect the dignity of every individual put in my charge.

Working Hard at the Farm

Taking Life Seriously...

...Or maybe not.

 Annual day at the M-16 range.

Thankful I grew up shooting pellet and BB guns.

Yup, my day was WAY MORE FUN than yours!

True Community

This is a true example of what it is to be a part of a community.

 

Multiple informal organizations within the Military community joined forces to help provide for our fallen. With 7 days during a time of financial uncertainty, we raised over $10,000 for the  Fisher House as they provide for the families of our fallen.

[We] will never leave a fallen comrade.

Honoring a World War II Veteran

US Army Staff Sergeant and Bishop Thomas L. Westbrook was remembered Monday night as a civil rights leader in Tacoma, a decorated World War II Army veteran and a faithful pastor who always did his best.

With words of tribute and spirited singing, more than 800 people celebrated the life of Westbrook, pastor of New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ on the Hilltop, who died Oct. 3 at age 89. Westbrook died in a hospital in St. Louis Oct. 3 after falling ill on a flight from Sea-Tac Airport. Westbrook, who took part in the D-Day invasion, was to catch an honor flight in St. Louis for veterans and visit the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., for the first time.

As requested by a member of the church, a random group of active duty US Army were in attendance to honor his service.

From http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/10/14/2838203/hundreds-celebrate-life-of-tacoma.html

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/10/14/2838203/hundreds-celebrate-life-of-tacoma.html#storylink=cpy

My Army Service Uniform

On the outside, my Army Service Uniform looks like the standard uniform courtesy of Army Regulations 670-1.

 

However, under the jacket is my personal salute to 13 Army Air Force nurses who survived the crash-landing of a Grumman C-53D Skytrooper, called the “Gooney Bird" during World War II. These 13 nurses were assigned to the 807th Army Air Force Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron (MAETS). Along with the 13 nurses were 13 medics and 4 members of the flight crew.

The aircraft crashed-landed on November 8, 1943. After being blown off course by a storm and being found by the German Luftwaffe  fighters, the pilots put the aircraft down in what they believed to be Allied territory in Italy. They were unaware that they had crossed the Adriatic Sea and were now landing in Nazi-occupied Albania.

After 3-months of running and hiding from Nazi troops, 27 of the team members were rescued. A month later, the remaining 3 team members were found and rescued.

Following their debriefing, all team members were instructed they were not allowed to discuss their story with anyone. Only now, over 50 years later, are we just learning what happened to 26 members of our medical teammates and 4 flight crew members. 

 

If you know me, you know I am not a big reader. However, with the rediscovery of "books on tape" I have been enjoying experiencing the stories of our past. So, if you are intrigued by my choice in uniform alterations, I encourage you to read The Secret Rescue: An Untold Story of American Nurses and Medics Behind Nazi Lines, by Cate Linberry.

Supergirl Went Skydiving

Fall Weather Means Fall Cooking

It is perfect weather for soups and stews! Today's attempt is a Chicken, Quinoa, Butternut Squash, Tomato, and Spinach creation. And it is pretty delicious if I do say so myself.

Nature Nurtures Farm Harevest Festival

Nature Nutures Farms is Helping Me

I am truly enjoying volunteering again. Especially being surrounded by animals. There is something magical about the unconditional love that animals provide (well, except for the 6 rats that jumped out at me while I was cleaning. Thank goodness for boys that are willing to "handle" the situation). Manual labor without the stress that comes with caring for fragile human life continues to be method of healing for me. And for that, I have been grateful for the small amount of time I have been afforded to spend at Nature Nurtures Farm in Olympia, WA. Bummed I had to give it up this past summer, but even with the occasional lumps and bumps I walk away with now, I wouldn't want to give this up again.

If you are ever in the Tacoma/Olympia area, I would highly recommend checking this place out. They do some really good things.

http://www.naturenurturesfarm.org/

Helping a Teammate's Final Journey

The core of the United States of America Army Soldier’s Creed:

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

For those that know me, you know that it is amazingly rare for me to ask for help. I pride myself on being able to take care of myself and help those I care about. To discuss the following is not an easy topic for me to share with you. However, I refuse to leave a fallen comrade and I am asking for your help in doing so.

US Army Nurse Corp First Lieutenant Jennifer Moreno, 25, from San Diego, CA, was assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. On Sunday, October 6, 2013 she along with three other US Army soldiers lost their lives in the Zhari District of the Kandahar province in Afghanistan. 1LT Moreno, Army Ranger Sergeant Patrick Hawkins, Criminal Investigation Command Sergeant Joseph Peters, and Army Ranger Private First Class Cody Patterson were all working with a Joint Special Operations Task Force when they were hit during a mission near the city of Kandahar. Along with the loss of 1LT Moreno, SGT Hawkins, SGT Peters, and PFC Patterson, approximately 30 fellow team members sustained injuries.

The loss of any life is tragic. It should never be a part of “normal” conversation. However, this is one that hits a little closer to home. Nowhere else in the US medical community is it a known expectation that doing your job could cost you your life. 1LT Moreno was a teammate. She served under the same flag with the same purpose as I.

Here is where the statement

I will never leave a fallen comrade

comes into play.

When a US Service Member dies in the line of duty, their family can expect to receive the “death gratuity” of $100,000 to immediately reach them within 24 to 36 hours of the notice of their loss. These funds are designed to provide for the immediate travel and other expenses in getting the family to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware so that they may be present when their loved one returns home for the final time. With the Legislative and Executive Branch’s current failure to produce a budget these funds are not available to the families of those of whom we have lost this fiscal year. I find this disgraceful and amazingly shameful.

I am asking for your help. Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, TAPS, is a not-for-profit organization providing immediate and long-term emotional help, hope, and healing to all who are grieving the death of a loved one in military service to America. TAPS meets its mission by providing peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, casework assistance, and connections to community-based care (taps.org). They work with every family of our Fallen Heroes regardless of what our government is doing.

As I write this, TAPS is in contact with 1LT Moreno’s family. They are working with the family to arrange for travel, lodging, and to cover other needs/expenses as they travel to Dover AFB to welcome home their beloved daughter. This is a costly mission.

Please help me in my mission to not abandon my fellow Officer, Soldier, and Nurse. Please consider a financial contribution to TAPS. Please help bring 1LT Jennifer Moreno’s family a piece of comfort in knowing that they do not have to suddenly produce the finances to get to their daughter.

This could have been me. This could have been my parents, siblings, and extended family being denied financial assistance to be present for my final arrival home or to be present for my memorial service or funeral.

Even if our government has failed, I will not allow the Moreno family to be abandoned by the Nation that their daughter died for.

I humbly come before you as a broken soul asking for your assistance in caring for the family of my fellow Officer, Soldier and Nurse.

 

To donate to Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

1)      taps.org

2)      click “Donate Today”


All information contained in this post is from public sources.
http://www.king5.com/news/jblm/Madigan-Army-nurse-killed-in-Afghanistan-226909861.html
http://www.armytimes.com/article/20131008/NEWS/310080008/Four-soldiers-dead-roadside-bomb-attack
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/10/08/2827421/army-nurse-from-jblm-killed-with.html
http://taps.org

Haven't Seen Him Since APU

I cannot put in to words how pleasantly surprised I was to see this guy walk on to ICU-East today.

CPT Dane Dyk and I both attended the Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing graduating in 2006. After his initial Active Duty commitment, Dane joined the Reserves and has been loving life with his family.

I am super excited to get to catch up with him and learn about where life has taken him.

And yes, I am still that short when standing next to Dane.

Honoring the California Fallen and Fellow Army Nurse

US Army Nurse First Lieutenant Jennifer M. Moreno, 25, of San Diego, CA, was assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. 1LT Moreno died in Zhari District, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked her unit with an improvised explosive device.

Also killed in the incident were SGT. Patrick Hawkins, SGT Joseph Peters and PFC Cody Patterson.

Rutledge's Haunted Corn Maze

 

Let Us Be Honest

Sometimes life simply does not suck!

GoodBye ABQ

I finally saw the Sandias last night.
Somewhat fitting as I have always said that
 once I see the Sandias at sunset there will be
 no reason for me to return to ABQ.
Hmmm...

Closing this chapter.

SuperGirl Goes Skydiving

Bye Pilot.