mr.&mrs. chupp

Here it is... our new blog!

www.mrmrschupp.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

Changes

(One of my favourite photos Erin took at our Wedding)


The month of August, now moving into September sure has been a time for changes. The biggest change of all being the marriage of Kyle and I on August 7th. YAY! What a day... the most perfect, beautiful, simple, elegant day I could've possibly dreamed of, with the wonderful man I wanted to share my life with by my side. Since then, there has been an array of "New Happenings" and many DIY projects, which have in some way become a reflection of who Kyle and I am as a couple. Ever since we began dating we both agreed the best gifts are the ones who's value is not in the money spend, but instead in the time, thought and creativity invested.

And so to continue in the spirit of Changes... a 'blog change' has been put in motion. Kyle and I have decided to team up and do one blog together, instead of two apart. We will continue to keep everyone updated on our life happenings, as well as give inspiration on DIY projects you may like to take on in your own life as we share some of our favourites with all of you!

So keep your eyes open and your mouse ready to click on the link to our new blog which we will post on our separate blog sites in the very near future.

(Don't worry! The end of the Bean Soup Disaster is steadily approaching!)

Jon Schmidt

This morning I was introduced to the musical talent of Jon Schmidt, and felt so excited about his music that it was inevitable: I needed to Blog about it. He is a "new age classical" pianist/ composer from Salt Lake City. Apart from his 7 albums to date, one of his latest arrangements is all the rave on You Tube. It is a compilation of Taylor Swift's "Love Story" and Coldplay's "Viva la Vida". I am no fine musician, but I certainly appreciate good music and this piece had me immediately engaged. Hope you enjoy it as much as i did!

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Jon Schmidt website:

jonschmidt.com

Health Care.... for fffrrrreeeee?

A few weeks ago Kyle fell off his bike and hurt his left wrist. This past Sunday it was still bothering him, inflicting moderate pain upon supination (turning his palm up) so I persuaded him to see a doctor at the Three Hills Hospital. He seemed a bit leery, afraid of the cost. I kindly reminded him there is none... health care is covered by the government through taxes. I have never seen anyone so hesitant to give out information as he was when handing the admitting clerk his Alberta Health Card, and telling them his address and phone number- as we were walking to the waiting room he whispered to me "They're not going to send me a bill are they?"

After he got X-Rays done, and had seen the doctor ( NOTE: nothing was broken or fractured, just a sprain that was healing slowing because of how frequently us humans use our wrists) he came to me with a hurried expression on his face and pulled me out of the hospital as fast as my short legs would move.

It was just like that Ikea commerical where the lady is running out to the car yelling at her husband to start the car because she got such a good deal she thought she must have stolen something. Kyle rushed me to start the car and drive away saying "they didn't even get me to sign anything, i just got an X-Ray done, talked to the doctor and they let me go without it costing me anything! They even offered to give me a tensor bandage, but I was afraid to push my luck. They might have charged me for that". I assured him they wouldn't have.

Since, other then the odd nightmare he tells me about where he is charged for going to the hospital... his wrist is getting better. I was happy to share in this hilarious first encounter with our health care system here in Canada- and it helped me to appreciate how nice it is to not be afraid of the cost to see a doctor when something doesn't seem quite right.

More Than Words Could Express

It has been about a week now since flying home from India, and I think I am finally beginning to re adapt to live here in Canada. It's funny how spending a short amount of time immersing yourself in a different culture can alter so much about a person without them even realizing it, until they return to what once was normal. Usually this is for the better, which is what I truly believe has occurred for me. Here are some photos of the faces and places that have had a wonderful impact on my life.
















Go to my Website for more Photos: www.vanessamariephotography.smugmug.com

India Medical Clinic- Day One

I am so filled with countless emotions I do not know where to start this description. To accurately relay to you what I have just experienced I would have to know exactly what I felt, but I simply cannot grasp my own emotions. However, as I begin to share this story perhaps I will be able to bring out emotions in all of you, in hopes that you feel connected in some way to what I, and my medical team experienced today.

This morning I woke up, drenched in sweat, with a persistent craving for cold water that simply never seems to be quenched here. Exhausted from a restless night I slowly staggered into the bathroom excited for the few minutes of the refreshing coolness I would receive in my icy shower. At least today seemed to be a ‘cooler’ day of only 38 degrees Celsius. A few short hours later we had ate breakfast, had devotions together and were on the road (in an SUV with blessed air conditioning, praise God) to our first medical clinic. This one was hosted in a small church only a short drive away, and as we got closer the excitement of unknowns began to rise incredibly. Soon we were setting up admission tables, chairs for our waiting area, our assessment area, wound care station, doctor’s table and ‘pharmacy’. All within a church 30” by 40” and a small shaded area created by hanging palm leaves like a tarp canopy. Within minutes we were in full swing seeing patients, doing all our assessments through translators. Such an incredible experience, and an amazing rush!

Then began what I’m sure were brimming tears of frustration when I began to receive simply devastating cases, ones I knew we alone could not fix. I have always thought that working in an area of the hospital such as emerg would be exciting… and it would, however I forgot about what it might feel like to tell a woman, who is so malnourished you can clearly see the stage 5 lump protruding from her breast, that she has breast cancer, knowing that she does not have the funds to give her a hope for survival. Or perhaps see the look on the man’s face who had to stop going for insulin treatment for his diabetes because it was too expensive for him to afford that after testing his blood sugar level twice (just to make sure the machine was in fact reading correctly) that the level was too high even for the glucometer to read, this condition critical and that without treatment his life was greatly endangered. I didn’t know what it would feel like to speak these words to someone, a human being, a precious creation of God, until today. And I am not sure that if I had taken the time to ponder this beforehand I even would’ve understood. I’m sure it was brimming tears of frustration. And yet somewhere in the midst of the heat, the sweat, the loud shuttering of metal from the overhead fans, the yelling and vehicles honking outside, and the various conversations happening between nurse, interpreter, and patient in the room I was still able to hear that soft, still voice, and feel his presence as I was able to pray over my patients, and realize once again that yes, there still is hope.

I had hoped that becoming a nurse would allow me to go into places I wouldn’t otherwise be able to go, and share Christ’s love with people who otherwise wouldn’t receive. It is amazing to finally see this, to live it. India is not a place that accepts missionary work, and we have to be careful on a daily basis who we are talking to and how much information we give out. But it is so incredible to see people who would otherwise never step a foot near a Christian church, come for medical help and willingly allow you to pray over them—sometimes to our joyous surprise even ASK us to pray for them. We saw over 150 people today, and how incredible to plant a seed in their lives, even when everything else seemed so hopeless.

A Quick Update

I realize I owe all of you much more then just a few lines to do any kind of justice to the events in my life recently that have been keeping me so busy. However, sad as it may be, the awful (but wonderful) truth remains: life isn't slowing down anytime soon. I think it is fair to say that I bring this craziness upon myself, because for some reason I just love it. Give me a list of things to do in a time frame half of what it logically should take and I am in my glory trying to rise to the task... give me a week of relaxing on a beach and I think I might actually go insane ( I have never tested this theory, but I'm pretty sure that's exactly what would happen).

So a bit of a time line...



April 11th Kyle and I went hiking in banff... and we got ENGAGED!
We have since dove into wedding plans, and are getting hitched on August 7th : ) Planning is coming along wonderfully so far and we are both excited with how our day is starting to shape up. The wedding is going to be a simple backyard ceremony and reception at his parent's house in Georgia. Both our families and our friends are already working so hard to help everything come together.






Toward the end of April I finished up my first year classes... I passed! : ) Then I started right away into practicum... early mornings at the hospital again. I was extremely excited to give my first injection... and loved it!




I am now in the middle of packing, doing laundry, moving into a new house for the summer, finishing up our wedding invitations and preparing to leave for India on Wednesday morning. I am really excited for India, and for all that this summer has in store for me... hopefully you feel a little more up to date on my life and I will TRY to keep a more frequent posting habit throughout this summer!