That was easy!

Kara was given a sleep number mattress for her bed before she got home in December. Once we got the mattress set up for her, the old twin mattress has been sitting in my bedroom making my pretty room a bit less pretty (as you can see in the last photo). I kept trying to think of a way to get rid of it that would be easy. So I texted Kevin today to see if craigslist is easy to use. He said yes. He was right! I posted an ad for a free twin mattress if someone would come pick it up. The ad posted at about 4pm. By 6pm the mattress was gone - as you can see in the nice little before I included! Neat!

The pic of Em is from 2 or 3 weeks ago. She really likes coming to 'Mama's house'. She is decorating a snake I made for her. I had lunch with Em & Jenn last Tuesday at Dion's. When lunch was over I told Em she was probably going to go home for a nap. Her response, "No, no nap! Mama's house!" Mama's house didn't happen that day - but Donna and I get her most of the time Donna is here in a couple weeks. Kevin & Jenn will be with their own youth group on a winter retreat that weekend. Yay! The only thing that would make that weekend more perfect is if Kara happened to show up to. With that girl you just never know! :-)

What a week!

I have now completed 2 weeks of work at my new job. I am feeling pretty comfortable with my role with Dr. Stuart since that is what I have done most of so far. She is patient and a great teacher. I am learning what she likes so I can anticipate how to be prepared for what she will do with each patient. It will get faster and smoother each week I am sure.

I started orienting to triage a couple days last week. Dr. Stuart is on vacation most of this coming week so I'll mostly do more orientation to triage. Cheryl, who I am learning from is a walking/talking OB/GYN encyclopedia! I will learn a ton from her! Evedryone on staff has been very helpful and supportive. I am SO THANKFUL to be where I am at! I am hearing horror stories about what PASS is like now that they closed Kaseman PASS where I used to be. So it makes me especially glad I had to leave that job. I would not want to do it the way it is being done now!

The first week on my new job I only managed to get one question done for school. This week I managed to get the last 3 done, so I will turn in the Marriage and Family course this week. Woo-hoo!! I'm moving down the tunnel. One of these days I'll see light!

Orientation

Today starts my second week of orientation on my new job. I found out last week when I showed up that she wants me working Mon thru Fri for these 2 weeks, no week day off. I was surprised but I'm okay with that so we can get orientation accomplished. I really like the people I am working with. They are a friendly staff and very helpful. I have already learned a lot! Today I start orienting to triage. My triage days will be very different from the days rooming for Dr. Stuart. The variety will ne nice. I really like Dr. Stuart! She will be so good to work with.

What I had not bargained for the the long work week last week and this week. I am so used to only 4 days of work each week - usually about 36 hours. Last week I did almost 50 hours and it will be similar this week. So I slept in and even took a couple naps this weekend! I did manage to get some school work done, but not the volume I am used to. That's ok - it'll come.

Reflections

After returning Emery to her mom & dad I had a quiet afternoon/evening at home. I have had some time to think and reflect on the amazing God we serve. A month ago I thought it would be my first Christmas without Kara. I thought my job was secure at Kaseman. I have talked to God (sort of complained) about not having a friend to just be a spur of the moment let's-go-do-something-friend. I thought I'd get plenty of school work done even in the midst of the holiday busyness. Instead Kara was home, I've not done any homework since the week of Thanksgiving, I closed the Kaseman PASS unit and start a new job tomorrow. I had a great dinner on the spur of the moment with a new friend on Friday!

I read Kara's blog from today. I spent a little time talking with Kevin & Jenn this afternoon. I'm reading a book about Jewish history that takes place in the time of the end of World War 2. We live and breathe and move because God allows us to do so. Apart from Him, life has no meaning. I pray that as 2009 progresses I will be very careful to tune into Him, listen for Him throughout each day and carefully walk the path He sets before me. He has a plan that I really can't fathom. He has ways of making His plan happen in my life that I would never expect. I want to cultivate joy in myself and others at the little (and big!) miracles that happen day in and day out. If I'm not looking for for them, I might miss them. Lord enlighten my heart and eyes that I will be sensitive to your working in my every day life!
Eph 1:18-19 "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."

By the way - the pictures are of Emery wearing my "Elmo socks" as she calls them. They really don't have anything to do with the blog except perhaps that she is a little miracle in my life!

I stand amazed

Some of you know most of this, but I really thought I ought to write it all down. I blogged in early December that my dream job was going away as of Dec 31. I have called this job my dream job because it is no evenings, no weekends, no holidays, no call and only 4 (9 hour) days a week. When I went to HR to see what I could apply for there was absolutely nothing like it available. I either had to work full time salaried (my definition is free overtime) or go back to 12 hour shifts. I knew God was in control, but I was feeling a little discouraged. I thanked God for the 2 incredible years I have had at Kaseman and told Him I knew He was in control and He would have to guide my choice because nothing availble looked anything like the hours I have had. I told Him - "I don't know what you are going to provide or how, but help me be open to what you are doing." Then I began interviewing. I interviewed for a full time (free overtime) postion in care coordination that I probably would have enjoyed, but it would be hard to get school done with the hours I would put in. I also interviewed for a position in urgent care, which would have been interesting, but the 12 hours shifts are often 14 - 15 hour shifts and it would be back to working weekends. I also agreed to an interview in a OB/GYN clinic for a full time (get paid for overtime) position. I told her before I went that I was more interested in 4 days a week, but since I like OB/GYN I was willing to consider it.

When I showed up for the interview one of the first things she said was, "There has been an interesting turn of events. They won't let me hire for the position you came to interview for today." Then she proceeded to tell me that since I was interested in 4 days a week, she had a 3 day a week LPN position posted that she could try to get upgraded to a 4 day a week RN position if I roomed for Dr. Stuart 3 days a week and did triage 1 day a week. I met the people working at the clinic and and got more excited by the minute. Long story short (sort of!) I was offered (and accepted) a job they (God) created especially for me - four 8 hour days a week, no evenings, no weekends, no holidays, no call!!

I really do stand amazed at the hand of God and how He took care of this for me. It is a cut in hourly pay and a cut in 4 hours a week. But I am debt free! so it will be ok and I will still be able to be committed at church, work on school and be gramma. What an astounding miracle!!

So Wednesday Dec 31st I shut down the Kaseman PASS unit and left my keys on the desk for Wille. This Monday, Jan 5th I will report to work at my NEW dream job! Happy New Year!