Awkward times at the nail salon...

I have been getting my nails done every other week for several years now, but yesterday when I got my nails filled I had quite the strange experience! About 2 weeks ago, a new lady at my nail place did my nails. I'm always a little skeptical of new ladies, but they were so busy and I was in a hurry so I sat down. Almost TWO HOURS later, with bleeding fingers and crappy nails, I left. Needless to say, I was not happy.

So yesterday I went in to get another fill, worried that I might get the same lady...but luckily the owner (my favorite lady) had me sit down at her station. She picked up my hand and looked at my nails and said, "You do nails here last time?" (Yes, they were that bad.) When I told her that I had, she pointed directly at the lady who had done my nails 2 weeks before and said, "That lady do nails?" I nodded yes (thinking to myself, that's sad that she knows that without asking...) and she shook her head and starting spouting off what could only have been a string of expletives in Vietnamese. I wasn't really sure what to say...

About 10 minutes later, another lady from the back came up to talk to the lady doing my nails, and my lady began ranting in Vietnamese again about my nails, gesturing to my nails and grabbing my hand, showing this lady how bad my nails looked. I felt a little awkward because I knew the gist of what she was saying, but couldn't really jump in and respond.

Now if this wasn't already awkward enough, the lady who had done my nails 2 weeks before came over, and my nail lady basically ripped this lady a new one, again gesturing with my hand and pointing at my nails. I had nowhere to look but down while she gryped this girl out...very awkward! Finally the lady walks away (probably to go cry in the back) and my nail lady says, "I tell her, no good, she need to change". Sounded like worse than that to me...

When my nail lady started filing my nails, I told her that the other lady had hurt me when she filed my nails 2 weeks ago, to which she responded, "You should hit her, right on head!" I laughed, but I think she was serious!

When I finally got ready to leave (with MUCH nicer nails, thank goodness!) the lady who had done my nails 2 weeks ago shot daggers at me as I walked to the front...I mean, if looks could kill, I wouldn't be writing this blog post! It's a good thing my nails look so nice, because I think I might need to steer clear of the nail salon for awhile...


-- Post From Becky's iPhone

I'm on Twitter!

Well this weekend I went to Abilene for Sigma Alpha Alumni weekend, and while I was there I got talked into joining Twitter! I'm still trying to figure it out, but so far it seems pretty fun! If you're on Twitter, let me know, or follow me at BEtheLPC. And here's a few pictures from this weekend!












-- Post From Becky's iPhone

FYI...

This week I changed the link to our blog because it was so long, so it might mean that if you have my blog as a link that you need to replace it...sorry, I didn't realize that changing that would affect things so much! Now the link to our blog is www.thecoachandthecounselor.blogspot.com. So change it if you must so you can keep up with the Evans'! :)

Makes it all worth it!

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the "counseling graduation" of one the clients I counseled during my graduate school practicum. About 2 weeks ago I received a handmade invitation inviting me to the "best graduation of all time" from a 9-year-old former practicum client of mine. I began working with this little boy over 2 years ago shortly after I began my internship at The Parenting Center. At the time, he was 7 years old and had endured some pretty tough things for such a little guy. When he started coming to see me, this little boy was struggling with the fact that his mom was sporadically involved with him and his little brother because of her drug problems, his dad (who he didn't know) was trying to come back into his life to get custody, and he was having problems making friends at school because he just didn't feel like he fit in. After I had been seeing him for about a month, his mother overdosed, and we then began some grief work to help him cope with such a huge loss. I did mostly play therapy with this little guy, and learned so much while working with him. I saw him most of the year that I was doing my practicum and he was then passed on to my site supervisor to continue working with him once I graduated.

As he began approaching termination, this little boy decided that he wanted to celebrate his progress by having a counseling graduation, and I felt so honored that he thought to invite me, even though it's been over 2 years since I worked with him! I attended his ceremony yesterday, which consisted of him, his little brother, his grandmother, his current counselor and me. I was so pleased to know that he now has many friends at school and has really come out of his shell, and is a much happier child. He also is excelling at Karate, which has given him much more self-confidence. Although he obviously still misses his mom daily, he cherishes the memories he had with her. It was such a rewarding thing to hear him talk about what counseling has meant to him and how it helped him. I have such a challenging job, and sometimes it's hard to see the fruits of the work that I do or ever feel like I am helping enact change in the clients I see. This was such an encouraging reminder that I am making a difference in the lives of my clients, even if I don't always know it!

Client Quote of the Day...

...and perhaps the whole month! A client of mine, who was extremely frustrated with the Social Study Investigator assigned to her custody case, told me, "I hope that woman goes straight to hell in a pair of gasoline soaked drawers!" Needless to say, I had to struggle not to laugh AND to continue to focus on what she said next! I just never know what I'm going to hear on any given day! My job is never dull, that's for sure...


-- Post From Becky's iPhone

She has issues...

Our beagle, Duchess, just LOVES to lay in the sun, and since it is finally shining here in Crowley, she's been out most of the day. When I looked out the window to find her after she'd been out awhile, this is what I found....






What silly dog, huh?? She keeps us laughing all the time!

I'm a bad blogger....

Well my goal was to try to be a better blogger this year, but so far, I have not improved much...I am still trying to work on that! I still read blogs, just forget to update my own! Anyway, I am going to try to make a better effort from her on out (no promises though...) ;)

Today I stayed home sick...yes, I am sick AGAIN! I went to the doctor and they said it's another sinus infection....my third in 4 months! I am getting highly annoyed to say the least, so my doctor suggested some tests and a physical to check my immune system and do some bloodwork to make sure there's not something else going on. Hopefully, we will get some answers and figure out ways to help me not get sick so much!

I do know that this past year has been a stressful one, and stress doesn't help my health. I have a stressful job for sure, and I have to remember to relax and not let the responsibilities of the job get to me. Many times I feel as though I have so much pressure on me to "help" so many families, and I'm not entitled to get sick or take a break. Even today, when I was home sick, I was crying to Mike because I was so overwhelmed about missing appointments today that I will have to reschedule, and my schedule the rest of the week is so packed! Sometimes I have to remember to tell myself to relax and that I can't do everything on my own. A hard lesson to learn for someone like me who thinks I have to do it all myself and doesn't ask for help much or tell others when I'm stressed. Mike tells me that for a counselor, I don't take my own advice on stress management very well! :) He's probably right! I am going to try to make a conscious effort to tell people when I need help or when I'm stressed, and to let others help me more. I know it will be hard, as I tend to be a "do-er" and am involved in so many things, but I am going to try to rely on the Lord, my husband, and others around me to accomplish this. I know my tendency to do it all myself has always interfered with my relationship with the Lord as well, as I have a hard time sometimes letting Him lead. I know if I can just rely on and rest in Him, everything will fall into place and work as it should. Why I always think I can do it all on my own, I will never know. Planning and doing apart from the Lord will always be in vain! I hate that sometimes it takes sickness or hurt to remind me of these things, but I am thankful that the Lord teaches me during the tough times.

So here's to antibiotics, supportive husbands and letting the Lord be my resting place! :)