Overdosed and Juiced

That's a summary of the last couple days. I made pupcakes and cookies and puppy fudge (made from the carob and PB that hardened too fast to use as frosting). I was so proud! But...Wrigley somehow managed to get to all the puppy fudge on the table outside while it was setting - she ate all but one piece - it was a lot of puppy fudge. Between that and the pupcakes with carob PB frosting I don't know how she survived without a belly ache or a runny butt (cubby on the other hand, like other Bostons - has gas regardless of what he eats) Her neverending appetite never ceases to amaze me and it was a good laugh to watch her make a mess of the cupcake all over the floor - Cubby on the other hand managed to eat his in his dish - no mess at all. She had a good birthday I think as far as puppy parties go, I'm glad - even if she, as a dog, doesn't or can't really appreciate it.

Shawn and I bought a juicer. after Ecuador we vowed to not ever purchase OJ ever again - and we haven't. We got our little motorized juicer and I don't now how many oranges and juiced away. ummm delectable. There is nothing better than freshly made juice - especiallly with breakfast-for-dinner German toast... so good. Today I made watermelon juice - but I used the blender for that. I'm so glad Shawn made it to Ecu to experience the goodness of fresh-squeezed orange juice, seriously we'll never go back. Fresh, no preservatives, no additives, just pure juice.

In regards to jobs - another job oppotunity blinked at me today - upside - a job right up my alley, bad news... it's in OR ala three-ringed circus land for licensing... oye ve, what to do, think I'll submit my CV just for giggles.

Paw-ty at our place

It's Wrigley Lee's Birthday! She's 2 today! I can't believe how fast she's grown.
We're having carrot carob chip pupcakes and PB carrot cookies. YUM! (well we aren't eating them, the dogs will ) and I made enough to share with some of the dogs at Shawn's work that we know! (If Jen hadn't moved to Bend, Mary would also have some too)

So today we are going to paw-ty!

Just think - if I'm like this now with dogs, it may be really scary when we have kids...

Lost?

This morning I awoke to one of the most wonderful things ever - my husband holding a grande no water chai tea latte with a huge grin. I don't even remember falling asleep on the couch last night or texting him at 4am to say goodnight. It was chilly and rainy outside - it was the perfect wake me up this morning. But once I guzzled the chai down and he drifted off to sleep, I got that overwhelming feelings again that I need to be doing something. Not sure what but something. So I tried to be productive and I was but there was still this random feeling of something missing.
Then, out of the blue, it hit me. I'm missing St. Andrews and the sense of community.

I (or we for that matter) are not religious fanatics and I wouldn't even classify us as deeply religious - spiritual maybe but without the deepness, but we belong to an amazing church in KC. The pastor, Holly, teaches and reminds us how to be good, decent people that care about one another regardless of our roots, color or status. The church itself is considered "progressive" but the values it incorporates are really what I think life has always been about, we jost got a little lost along the way. She opens her sermons with a story and somehow winds in some biblical teachings, but if you just stopped by and heard her chat you would only hear her story of reaching out to people and making a difference. Nothing is tradiational about the building - it looks like a building you would find in Central or South America, you're greated with hand widdled chairs in a semi circle from El Salvador and a vibrant cross accompanied by a lone guitar player. I really could go on and on but I will spare everyone - words don't really capture the sentiment. Everyone is welcome, regardless of your beliefs and when you leave, there is something so sound about the "closing benediction" for lack of a better description. The last hymn is most always a toe-tapper coming from a different culture and then everyone joins hands and sings: peace before us, peace behind us, peace under our feet, peace within us, peace over us let all around us be peace.

I've looked for a place like this here in the NW to no avail, aside from family and a couple friends it's the one thing from home I miss and today for whatever reason I was really missing that piece of home.

Ranch hand or Shepherd?

I hate making life-changing decisions for which I can't foresee the future... and I am standing at the crossroad now. maybe I should just say screw it all and go back to school.... just kidding.

I am so excited to work, even more excited to move on with my life with Shawn.

I think I am done with interviews for now, altough I'm only 4/5 for one... with strikingly different jobs it's difficult to decided which direction to go but at least I have some choices.

It's so nice to be home on the weekends and home with Shawn and know I can play scrabble and not worry about studying for anything - although I should be brushing up on some things...

Life is good. (PS - I'm leaning toward shepherd)

How the heck do I know what kind of farm?

I am approaching the point where I am going to have to ask for a farm.... I want the farm, not the shanty across the street - not the mansion down the road but a farm to call my own. I'm having trouble with asking for it though. I know what my bottom lines are... I know what I am willing to let slide and I know what is NOT negotiable in my mind - the problem lies in asking for it. I don't want to come off like some know it all new grad or a new grad that seems clueless asking for the farm with red pain instead of brown and more cows than chickens but I don't want to sell myself short either. Especially when I know - or at least have a pretty good idea what I am getting myself into. It's a tough place to be in for sure. But I know when I send out a few emails to some fellow PA-Cers they'll shoot me straight and give me some insight to the world of farms.

I know I have a lot to offer and I know I have my work cut out for me but I also want to be compensated, I also know I am a green new grad.

My interview went fair today... I can't get the proper clearance I need until my licensure/credentialing is complete - which I am still lolly-gaggin with - it's a lot of money to throw out there if i change my mind and take on the three ringed circus of OR credentialing. It wasn't so much an interview - the only two questions I got were what do you do for fun and what have "they" (meaning the private company that employs the medical people for this company) told you... Everything else was me asking questions - I only had a few and the medical director telling me what my job would consist of. It ended with the Nurse Practitioner he called down from her office basically saying she wasn't interested in mentoring me when the medical director asked her right in front of me...hmmm chin scratching and can we say awkward moment? This would also be a "remote" site meaning pretty much no supervision and minimal chart review. So all this being said.... not sure what to do with this interview/company. At least he got my name right.

Tomorrow - different interview, different place and in the mean time, researching farms.

Still waiting...

Story of my life for the past few days. at least I'm not waiting for my board results, that would be a tough wait but not as bad as those who decided to wait to take it.
So I sit and wait, staring at my WA credentialing packet, dredding filling it out, even though I know it has to be done, I think I'll put it off one more day. It's warm and sunny, when Shawn wakes up, I think we'll hit the pool.

***UPDATE*** have 3 interviews in the next 3 days. I actually had to tell the second one that I had a previous engagement on Thursday but Friday would work great. I'm excited and nervous . Two of the interviews are actually for the same job (it's interviews #3 and #4 of 5 total - deep breath).

Next Chapter

Well, I guess it's time to move on to the next chapter in life. Not really sure what to do with myself just yet. Ready for a job and a schedule and oh yes, a paycheck.

We had an awesome weekend in Chicago and unlike our usual trips where we just see a couple games, we also went to the Shedd aquarium and to Second City. The aquarium wasn't as good as I had hoped, the giant anaconda was neat, as were the dolphins and beluga whales. Second City is a show and improv comedy - home to alumni such as Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Jim Belushi, Steve Carrell, Tim Meadows and the list goes on an on and on. It was pretty funny, better than I thought it might be and we got a signature of an upcoming star - well at least she hopes so... and so do we.

We saw one Cubs game 6 rows behind the dugout and they won! Jake Fox hit a grand slam! It was an awesome game. The second game was 16 rows behind the Met's dugout, it was terrrible. It's the first game we've been to at Wrigley Field that they didn't win. No Go Cubs Go song, the big blue loser flag flying high, it was a long sad walk back to the hotel.

So, now we're back, I'm still on the job hunt, Shawn heads back to work... and it's really strange to not really have anything to do while I wait... except for wait...