Minot.... North Dakota

I arrived safely to my destination yesterday, just in time to watch the Cardinals snuff out the Pitts winning streak! Sweet!!! My trip was surprisingly uneventful. I had already braced myself that I WAS going to experience car trouble of some sort, be it mechanical or an accident. The good Lord must be watching over me. I was a little concerned last night as people began hooking their car heaters up by extension cord. Hopefully, I will have mine installed soon. Highlights from the trip: MASSIVE snow, herds of buffalo, people driving snowmobiles ON the STREETS, funny signs and pheasants EVERYwhere. (I'm assuming this HAS to be a huge sport up here.) Mom, there are 5 catholic churches up here with all different schedules... I have absolutely NO excuse for missing:).

A little humor

After a very trying week (and it's not even really begun for me!), I am hoping that my luck improves as I start out for North Dakota. First stop: Kansas City. Miss Mollie! Miss M will be so happy to see you:) And speaking of pets, this cartoon can only be Petra and Matilda. Christina and Chris, this is what I think they REALLY do when you're not there...:)

What?!

Yes, favorite uncle, that does mean a visit from your favorite niece:). I will call you to confirm details. Secondly, WTF?! This is an excerpt from the Minot newspaper this week. And more snow is expected tomorrow... perfect. I'm hoping this means that they will have it all cleaned up by the time I get up there and they'll be set for the winter with no more big snow. Keep dreaming, Jules. Keep dreaming. This will for sure be an experience to remember. So when is everyone coming to visit?;)

Life is normal...?

So for those of you who haven't noticed the change in my current location above, I will be starting work in Minot, North Dakota in two weeks. The above are accurate portrayals of my shock at how I ended up with North Dakota. Long story short: I'm impatient and money speaks. I am ready to work and this was the fastest, best paying job I could get to. I am very excited as I will ONLY be 7.5 hours from MISS KATIE! and I will be 4 hours from several new friends in Winnipeg that I met on my tour of Europe. So, I am already planning reunions and I am excited to finally be getting my own place again. *Sigh*. I love Mom and Dad dearly but God did not mean for us to live in the same house forever. So, life will be back to normal... for me.:)

Before... and After.

Well, Miss M had her surgery today and all went well. However, additional stitching was needed as I had her teeth cleaned at the same time. Unfortunately, there were a few rotten teeth that needed to come out. Ew. M is tolerating the events remarkably well although I sense a little bit of anger from her:). She is currently wearing a cone on her head until at least tomorrow morning and has therefore been a source of amusement to the boys. I have to admit, it is a LITTLE humorous to watch her bump into things with that stupid cone on her head. The alternative is risking her ripping her stitches which I have no desire to deal with, so... the cone remains. The good: the bad eye and teeth are out, she should be more comfortable on a long-term basis. The bad: this may not save her last good eye; it may eventually succumb to the glaucoma. The ugly: the latest look that we're sporting. All in all, I'd say M came out the winner.

By request...

Kate, here are the Christmas pics you wanted.

*Sigh*

I sometimes wonder if I shouldn't let my blog die completely. As unhappy as I am about my current situation, it is even worse to continually talk about it. However, I will update my pitifully few readers on it. First off, I decided to forge ahead with the job in Louisville. Much to my dismay, 3 weeks in and one week before Christmas, I discovered that I despised that job. The final straw was coming home one night at almost 10 pm, in complete tears. No job is worth that. The thing is: I am a competent nurse. Not the best, but certainly far from the worst. I am extremely capable at what I do. This job... reduced me to the poorest work I have ever done. I felt inadequate the entire day, even as I struggled to meet needs, skipped lunch and only was able to use the bathroom once in a 15 hour day. So, after serious thought - I decided: NO JOB was worth the sacrifice of my peace of mind or emotional health. I am now (again!) unemployed and currently searching for another travel position. I'm not really quite sure what I want to do, so ... I think my best option is a short-term one that will allow me some time to re-evaluate before making my next move.

Secondly, Miss M's eye is getting worse so her surgery is scheduled for this Tuesday at 0730. I am worried about my little missy, but I have been saying some prayers. Her bloodwork was drawn on Friday and it appears that her kidneys, liver and thyroid are working well. Hopefully, there won't be any other surprises when she goes under anesthesia. Thanks to all who have been asking about her - your thoughts are appreciated!

I will update again on Tuesday about Miss M and hopefully I will have an update on the job as well! Good luck to all as you return to work and school this week:).