What a Week!!!!

It has been a little while since I've updated- so I thought while Elizabeth takes a little nap I would take advantage of the internet here at the hospital and update!!

First and most importantly- I am now the proud aunt to a niece and TWO nephews!!! Sweet Landen Layne joined the world January 22! He weighed 8 pounds 13 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. I was going to post a picture but the hospital has strict internet rules- you will have to all look at facebook or come visit for yourselves to see his adorable little face. :-)

Landen has done great!! He's eating well and gaining weight. He's a great baby- as Liz says, "all he does is eats, sleeps, and poops!!"  I reminded her to just enjoy him sleeping because you just never know how long that will last!! Elizabeth had some problems with infection and because of that developed really bad hives- but she is on the mend and HOPEFULLY will be able to get home tomorrow. Landen has been discharged from the hospital but we were lucky enough to have them stay on the mother/baby floor so he has been able to stay in the room with her. It has been been a blessing to have them in Iowa City- probably not as convenient for them but I have been able to come help them out a lot. It's fun to have family so close- it's been a long time since I've lived in a town where I have had family this close!!

My new job is going well! The first two weeks I was in the main hospital orientation which was long, however I did meet some awesome people who are also new to the area so that's good! This week I started in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). They separate the NICU here into bays- Bay 1 is the highest level acuity. Most of the kids are very sick, on the vent, have drips, micro-preemie's.... and then as they progress they move through bays 2-5 until they go home. I'm working in Bay 1- meeting the doctors I will be consulting with when I go out to pick up a transport kid. I also have been learning how they do things here. If I have learned anything it is that every hospital does things different. That is the most important thing I will need to learn in my 6 weeks in the NICU. New policies and procedures.... fun fun. :-)

After my 6 weeks in the NICU I will be in the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). I am both very excited and very nervous about working in the PICU. I'm so excited to learn.. but nervous because it's such a different world in PICU. However- I will be transporting kids 8 years old and younger so I realize I have a lot to learn! :-)

After PICU I will have actual transport orientation which will last as long as I need it to. I will spend a week or so in surgery working on intubations, I will spend time working with the neonatologists/residents/NP's working on skills I will need on transport- like putting in lines, needle aspirations, resuscitation... pretty much anything I will need to do when I'm on my own in some rural hospital!! I'm very excited about it. I am excited to be challenged and learn new skills. It's too easy to get too comfortable when you don't challenge yourself to keep learning....

Other than work- life has been pretty good. I am going to write a full blog post sometime on living with Verla. I am so thankful that things have worked out the way they have in my life and I have had the opportunity to really get to know her. She is an AMAZING woman who has already taught me so much. She has a different perspective on life because she is 88 years old- she grew up much different than I did- and she has lived a LOT of life. We have laughed together, cried together, and spent many hours talking- most of the talking from her- telling me story after story of her life (and several about when my Grandpa Marv was younger...). She is amazing... and the food- oh my- I told her AGAIN this morning that she needs to quit making such amazing food because I have a flight suite to fit into!!! More to come about that...  Many of you have asked about my house. I will be putting it on the market after the 1st of February. That would be a prayer request- pray that is sells fast and I can truly move on with my life here in Iowa City. I am sick of living out of 2 houses... and a suite case really because I haven't had time to go back to Des Moines lately!!! Hopefully it will sell fast....

Tim and I are doing so well!! He is amazing and I feel so blessed to have him by my side through all of these life transitions. Me moving to Iowa City and starting a new job has been a change for both of us but he has been so patient and awesome through it all. I am thankful for him and his entire family. It has been fun to watch him with Landen, too- he loves kids and I had to fight for time to hold him while he was here!!

I suppose that is all I know for now... Landen is waking up, Liz is napping, and Andrew took a couple hours to leave the hospital room and regroup- I guess that means I'm up for some cuddle time!!! Being an aunt really is the best... but hopefully someday soon I'll get to have my own kiddos to throw into the mix of cousins!!  It's so much fun!! :-) God bless you all...

New Beginnings!

Well... today I am packing to move to Iowa City. My life has been full of transitions (jobs and moving) for too long now... I'm excited to settle down and "start over".

I am starting a new job tomorrow morning. I keep catching myself feeling butterflies and that all too familiar homesick feeling I have felt every time I was packing to start a new job. The feeling of fear... anxiousness.. the unknown.  However, directly following that thought is an overwhelming sense of security and peace and excitement.  I remember that I am only moving to Iowa City. Not Las Vegas. Not Connecticut. Not 1300 miles away. But Iowa City. 90 minutes from home, Des Moines, Tim.. only 3 1/2 hours from Heidi. Ahhh.. and that, my friends, is so awesome.

I still have a little bit of anxiousness- the normal "starting a new job kind of anxiousness"- hoping I can meet  friends quickly, find a good church home, and transition into a new life in Iowa City. The job I'll be doing gives me anxiety- but I know with 6 months of training and classes I'll be ready when I'm on my own picking up little ones in the helicopter!! :-)

Throughout this whole job hunting process I knew wherever I ended up (unless I took another travel assignment), I would have to find a place to live and of course pay rent. Becuase of my mortgage in Pleasant Hill, I was anxious about how this would work out.  However God has taught me, once again, to trust Him- and more importantly not to worry. Doors have opepened up and it worked out for me to stay with my great aunt, Verla. Verla lives on an acreage in a big old farm house just north of Iowa City. I will be putting my house  up for sale soon (know anyone who wants to buy a house?), and until the house sells I have been invited to stay with her. I am very grateful for her and to her for allowing me to live with her for a little while- and I think she is a little excited, too! I can see many nights of playing cards in my future....  :-) 

I said at the beginning of this post how my life has been so full of transitions. I know change is inevitable in my life and I know many "transitions" are yet to come, but I'm excited about having a regular full time job again. I'm excited to have the stability that comes with a full time job- and not moving every three months. I'm excited about the future! ;-) I want to give the glory to the Lord, the One who deserves it. The One who carried me a couple years ago... when I so broken and too weak to stand on my own. 2-3 years ago I never, ever, would have thought I would be packing my bags to start a job as a transport nurse at the University of Iowa. I never thought I would have the opportunities I did to travel and experience this beautiful country over the last year. But HE has pulled me through and blessed me way beyond what I deserve. And I am so thankful.

So tomorrow as I start this new job- this new chapter in my life- I will be remembering that HE is in control of everything- of my house selling- my job- my fears- my relationships- everything. And I will be praising Him. Praising Him for bringing me to this place- where I can hopefully effect the lives of many more families and bless those around me. Where I can use my nursing skills and do what I love to do. Where I will be challenged to learn and be stretched to know so much more than I know right now.

I would challenge anyone reading this- anyone going through a transition or difficult change in your life- trust the Lord. Let Him carry you when you feel weak. Trust Him- to guide you where you're meant to be. I have no doubt that I am where I was meant to be. God has a perfect plan for my life and I feel like this is just the beginning!!

"My sould finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken!"

Psalm 62: 1-2