Get to Know Me
Hello again! I am Jean St. John but my friends and family call me Jaye. Except for my mom when I’m in trouble- and yes, I still get in trouble at 30 years old. I was named Jean after my maternal grandmother and great-grandmother but obviously we couldn’t all three go by “Jean” at the same time, because, confusing! So I was affectionately nicknamed Jaye. St. John is my middle name and is an old family last name from my mom’s family tree back in the Mayflower days. I chose to name my blog jeanstjohn because that’s who I am and always will be. I want to be true to myself and where I have come from and how I got here. I want this to be a safe space where we build a loving, uplifting community. I want my blog to be my creative outlet to share all my passions with you and where you and your passions can fuel me.
I moved to Columbus, Georgia at the end of 2019 with my fiancé, Brian, and our two fur babies Loki (2 year old Alaskan Husky) and Maisy (6 year old Cavapoo). I am a board certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner but am currently not practicing. We moved to Georgia for Brain’s work and we never imagined I would have trouble finding the right job. But for whatever reason (I’m sure God has one) I have not been successful in finding a pediatric nurse practitioner job that fits with our lifestyle. I am blessed and so lucky to have Brian’s full support so I have not had to rush into any jobs that I didn’t love. I have been able to focus on unpacking our belongings and getting our house set up. It has also been nice because our Loki has HORRIBLE separation anxiety and likes to literally tear our home apart when left alone (dig holes is carpet, chew door frames, destroy door mats and dog beds); it’s something we’re working through.
Since I have found myself without a job outside of our home, I have had more time to reflect and focus on myself, my family, and mine and Brian’s relationship. My stress level is significantly lower and I can tell a huge difference in all aspects of my life. So now I’ve decided to share my life and passions with you all!
So that’s where I am now, here is how I got to this time in my life…
I am the oldest of four girls and absolutely LOVE having all sisters! My parents were both in the military while I was growing up so I have actually moved around quite a lot. My mom left the Air Force after 15 year of service when I was in the second grade and my dad retired after 24 years of service when I was 17 years old. In my 30 years on this earth I have lived in Washington DC, Missouri, Ohio, North Dakota, Michigan, Japan, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, and now Georgia.
I attended college at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and graduated from the College of Nursing in 2012. I then worked as a NICU nurse, got my Master’s degree from East Tennessee State University, became a Family Nurse Practitioner, got a Post Master’s Certificate from Rush University and became an Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, and worked as a pediatric hospitalist. I loved my jobs taking care of babies and sick kiddos and remain very passionate about children and their health. While I do plan to share some general health information and tips, I am NOT here to assess, diagnose, or treat you or your children. But I am excited to share information and give my PERSONAL opinions. However, these should NEVER take the place of the recommendations or guidance from your primary health care provider.
Brian and I have been together for about 2 ½ years now and met while working at the same hospital. We were actually introduced through my dad (he and Brian worked in the same department) who immediately knew we would be great together. Brain and I got engaged in August of 2019 and are getting married this November. I am planning future posts about wedding planning and being engaged so stay tuned.
Now that we are in a new state and a new house, I have a TON of work to do! Getting moved. Remodeling various parts of the house. Painting. Decorating. I love it all, but honestly it’s a little overwhelming at times. But great news for you!- I’m going to share what works and what doesn’t. It’s going to be a process, but stick with me and you’ll get updates about everything!
10 fun quick facts about me:
- I am addicted to lip balm…I literally always have one on my person at all times. My nursing certification exams were extra stressful because I couldn’t take my lip balm in the testing rooms with me
- Mascara is my #1 favorite make-up item (my lip balm doesn’t count in this category because it’s basically just an extension of me at this point)
- I LOVE coffee
- I could subsist on a diet of only of popcorn and breakfast foods and be the happiest person ever…also, major sweet tooth over here
- My sisters are my very best friends (other than Brian of course)
- My favorite number is 2; everyone in my family has a 2 in their birthday and it’s something I’m kind of in love with
- Pink is my absolute favorite color
- I LOVE fresh flowers
- Brunch in my favorite meal of the day
- I can’t stand it when people forget to turn their turn signals off after changing lanes
Now that you know a little more about me, I would love to get to know you too! Please comment and introduce yourself. I want us to become a community of friends, sharing information and ideas and supporting each other!
XOXO Jaye