A Change Would Do You Good

Something new is going on with me. Something amazing. Something I've been dreaming and hoping and wishing for.

Part of the reason I've not visited this space for a while is because I was afraid I'd say it out loud and then the opportunity would slip away. It may seem silly, and I'm not necessarily superstitious, but I had to be sure this was happening before I spread it around.

I got a new job...sort of. I'm currently orienting in the

I've been wanting to make a change from Med/Surg, but wasn't sure how. For the past year I've worked PRN which basically means I make my own schedule and only work on an 'as needed' basis. I've been looking for a new, similar, position for a while now, but it's been difficult to find an opening in my hospital because I'd need to be trained in a new area. And most directors aren't thrilled about training new PRN nurses. However, about a month ago, I found an opening in ER and interviewed for the position. I got it, but only sort of.

The director wanted me to orient, but still stay on in the Med/Surg department. I accepted the terms, grabbed hold of the new position and just refused to let them ignore me. I set up a meeting with the ER educator and VIOLA! found myself with three weeks of ER orientation!

I haven't wanted to say anything because I was afraid I'd not actually be able to orient. I was nervous about being trained and then pushed back to my old floor. After a week and a half though, I feel like I've started to prove myself and am feeling a bit more secure in the setting. I think I could find my 'nursing home,' at least for now.

The pace is new, the work is interesting and I love the fact that I no longer dread going to the hospital each evening. I realize that I'm still in the honeymoon phase and that this feeling might not last, but I really hope it does. I love being a nurse but I've always felt that I hadn't yet found my home. I'm hoping that this new placement will give me a much needed feeling of peace and love in my work.

I'm Still Standing

Don't worry, I'm still here. I haven't gone anywhere. I haven't abandoned my little corner of the blogosphere. I'm simply recovering and enjoying some hard earned silence. I'm enjoying it so much, in fact, that this little blog is not the only thing in my world that's suffering.

Up until yesterday, I had my laundry separated into various piles of "cleanliness" scattered around my bedroom. I still had a pile in the suitcase from Florida. My floors haven't been vacuumed or mopped for over a month. My sheets we're in desperate need of a washing, and I'm just way too embarrassed to talk about the shape my bathrooms were in. Let me just say that Asher is inconsistent about lifting the seat and I've not even cleaned our guest toilet. Talk about the height of lazy!

I just couldn't seem to get off my ass. I was able to finish three books so I guess I felt like I'd accomplished something in between the long stretches of laying around.

We buckled down yesterday. Elijah cleared out the garage and I went through the house tackling the floors, laundry, bedrooms, bedding, and at least two bathrooms. Waking up this morning to a cleaner house gave me the much needed motivation to revisit this space. I can't wait to share what I've been up to these past weeks, aside from all that slacking off!

The Sound of Silence

Ssshhhhh! Do you hear that? Wait, shush. Aaahhhh...

Silence.

Both kids are gone. Asher's at camp and Amelia's in her Mother's Day Out program. This is my VERY FIRST DAY alone. I've been dreaming about this since I signed Amelia up back in May. I've got the entire day planned out.

I'm going to spend my day cleaning. Surprised? Well, there's a TON of stuff on my DVR that needs to be watched. I may get off the couch to meet Elijah for a child free lunch, but other than that my ass is staying put.

Good Times.

Long Time Sunshine

Around two o'clock last night, while running around my Med/Surg floor, I realized that just a short week ago I was in Florida, sitting around a pool, drinking wine, laughing with family and smoking (because I TOTALLY get to smoke on vacation!). This realization was pretty depressing. How did I end up back to work so quickly? It seems like it took forever to get to Florida and then I blinked and we were on a plane back to Texas.

I call foul.

I've decided I want to live on vacation. I have no desire to get back into my home routine. I want sunshine and beaches and Elijah home all day. I want late nights and long stretches of afternoon with nothing to do but read while Amelia naps. I want ice cream, and cookouts and bronzed kids smelling like sunscreen. The trip wasn't long enough, I wasn't ready to come home and so, I think I'll boycott the end of vacation. I'm not sure about everything an 'end of vacation' boycott would entail but I'm fairly certain that it would include losing the house, since paying the mortgage is my responsibility. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to live on the beach.

Since we're going to be homeless beach bums we might as well head back to Siesta Key; the town we visited for Elijah's family reunion. We couldn't afford the perfect little condo at the Seaspray Resort where we stayed, but the sand was soft and it only rained about once a day, usually at night, so we wouldn't have to worry about not being able to bathe before bed.

If we lived at the beach...

...we wouldn't need to hang artwork.

...we wouldn't need furniture

...we would all snuggle together every night for bed.

But best of all, if we lived at the beach...

...I'd never have to do laundry again.

Facing Your Fears - Really High Up

One of my favorite parts of this year's beach vacation was my parasailing trip. That's right, Ms. Terrified-of-Heights, Cried-on-King's-Dominion-Drop-Zone, Hates-Open-Water WENT PARASAILING! And it was awesome. I didn't even cry.

Tobie and I on our way up. See, no tears!

So very high.

They had the brilliant idea of dragging us through the water.

I'm rethinking my decision to NOT wear a bathing suit.

The white tank top wasn't such a great idea either.

We made it! Soaking wet, but still no hysterical crying.

The best part though, had to be the zodiac boat ride out to the parasailing boat. There were a lot of speed zone channels (where I actually got to drive - complete with a Bud Light in my hand) but once the Captain was able to open her up, we flew across that water. It was just like in the movies; wind running through my hair, water splashing while flying over the wake of other boats. Again I say, awesome.

We had a group of eleven riders, which took about two hours to parasail. Once the rides were over we met the other boats and headed straight to shore into a crazy heavy lightning and thundering monstrosity of a storm. Yes, really.  In fact, we only made it halfway to the dock before the weather forced us to stop under a bridge. The Captain couldn't see anything, it was freezing and I was no longer having any fun. 

The other boat pulling under the bridge.*

Everyone else seemed to be having a good time!*

Caia keeping me warm during the storm.*

Our group decided to get off the boats and have someone else from the family come find us. I was seriously freaked out and just wanted off of the water. Of course, once we were on land, the storm let up, and the boats took off for shore while we were stuck under the bridge hoping to be found. (For the record, I'm totally willing to admit that my judgment is impaired while sitting on a boat, in freezing wind and rain, listening to thunder and watching the lightning hit the shore.)

Of course we all made it back safely and now I have a great story about my parasailing adventure in Siesta Key! All's well that ends well, am I right? I would however, be lying if I said that I wasn't going to think twice (and check a weather radar) before getting on another boat again.

*I totally lifted those pics off of Tobie's Facebook page...Thanks Tobie!

The Sweetest Thing

We're home and I'm completely exhausted. I promise a full accounting of the past week's adventures, just not today. And maybe not tomorrow...we'll see. In lieu of a true post, I'm uploading a video of Amelia eating ice cream. It's adorable, so enjoy!


Ice Cream in Siesta Key from Miss Marina Star on Vimeo.

Vacation

We survived flying three hours with a two year old and had a wonderful first day of vacation. Asher insists that the travel day was actually day one, but I hardly count lugging two kids, and all their crap, across the US as relaxing so I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

We flew in to Tampa, rented a car and drove to Siesta Key. The place we're staying is amazing. We're a block from the beach, there's also a salt water pool, WI-FI, and a small kitchenette. This is definitely a place we'd come back to visit.


Being raised near Southern California beaches, I was nervous about how much beach time we'd actually want, but the water is warm, the sand is soft and the waves are just right for the little ones. It's rained a little off and on, usually hitting us late in the evening forcing us to run from the pool area and undress outside the room (tantalizing little tidbit, eh?).


Anyway, we are having a blast reconnecting with each other as well as extended family members. I've already finished one book and have started another. The kids are exhausted from yesterday so a little downtime is ordered for today.

And now, pictures!!!