OMG

life has TOTALLY been kicking my butt. FOR REAL. i'm going to take a minute to get you all caught up...at least a little bit. where to start?? i had a job all but set up in the unit and hospital i wanted to work in in Columbia, but then the HR department implemented a personality test into the interview process and....i failed =(. it was incredibly depressing and infuriating. INFURIATING. then life tried to go on - i focused on finishing school and kept thinking life would calm down and even out. then i graduated and got a job in a TEEENY TINY hospital in a town near columbia, but didn't start right away. then i took a week long kaplan prep course in Kansas City, threw Lainey a bridal shower, had lots of friends in town (SO FUN) and tried to get some R&R in. then i started working at the TENNEY (7 patients in the whole place) hospital. it was ok, but from the beginning i could tell it wasn't what i needed out of my first job - i need lots of experience and training at a large hospital. if i don't get that as a new grad it is going to be really hard to get it later. ever since the university fiasco happened i had been searching out jobs in STL and KC. nothing real serious, but i kept looking and applying. i happened to submit an application real quick one afternoon to St Louis Children's Hospital's NICU. They weren't currently hiring, but always accept applications.

Shortly thereafter I got a call from HR asking me to interview - which I bought a new outfit for - drove over and completed two one hour interviews on a Friday afternoon. Then they asked me to come back a few days later for a panel interview. I was nervous, but WAY excited! Grant and Olive came to STL with me the night before so I could prep and not have to get up too super early and drive all the way from Columbia that morning. It went well - I thought. Later that evening we were sweating it out in the Hyundai on our way to Kansas City (without AC in 95 degree + humidity heat) to see She and Him when Children's hospital called to offer me the job! SWEET! we were so excited. SO excited. The opportunity is amazing. The hospital is one of the top 5 pediatric hospitals in the country and they have great perks and benefits.

I'm not going to lie - it has been one of the most stressful times in my life trying to juggle a marriage, working in a different city, finding an apartment, the dog, preparing for boards, staying sane. BUT we think this is going to be the best thing for us in the long run so we are going to make some sacrifices now. AND there are some pluses... STL has tons of delicious restaurants - we have already had so many more ethnic dinners here than we could ever have in Columbia. and things are starting to fall into place... this weekend I will move into an apartment with another new nurse in the NICU so I can avoid perpetual hotel living. The ultimate goal is for me to work in STL 3 days/week and then be in Columbia 4 days/week, but we will have to see how it all works out.

Do you understand why I haven't been blogging?? I really can't tell you how insane life has been - too insane for this girl to handle! Hope to be back soon with pictures from the last few months! love you all!

PS... can you believe monday marked two years since this?? how the heck did that happen so fast?!