Working Mom

I got a new job working at Good Samaritan Hospital in their ICU. I had been working at a long term ventilator specialty hospital for the last 1.5 yrs as there were few positions open in other hospitals. Regional Hospital (my old job) was fairly close to my house, paid well, and was very accommodating to when I wanted to work. However the patient population was not my favorite. I worked with people who were very difficult to get off the breathing machine and so they were often all around very sick and had sad stories and most, with poor outcomes. Before I went to work there, I was thinking of not working in the ICU anymore because it was so sad and draining. Well, now I am so excited to work in the ICU again where there is so much hope and happiness.

Good Samaritan puts their new employees through a very thorough orientation. It lasted 1.5 weeks of full time 8 hr days. Remember I have been an agency nurse for years so I am use to walking in to a new hospital, not know where anything is, how to chart or who anyone is and get a 5 min orientation around the unit and begin working. Although it was long and at time boring, I am very glad to get some orientation. It makes me think the hospital is smart and cares. So far I have been really impressed with Good Samaritan and am very excited to start on the floor on Monday.

So for this last week and a half, it gave me a taste of what it would be like being a working mom in "real life" meaning, the hours normal people work - 8-5pm everyday. One day I went to work, came home and ate dinner and spent about an hour with my family and then went to a meeting. It was wild. It gave me new perspective about what the Dad's go through as it was a typical schedule for a lot of my friends husbands.

So this is what I got out the week in this new perspective.

• When you work full time it shifts your whole perspective. Instead of thinking of my kids and family and what needs to be done at home, I thought of work, since that is what I was doing. Soren had his first field trip and I didn't send him off or welcome him home and I wasn't a volunteer. Instead I was behaving like a working professional in my business casual clothes reviewing Good Samaritans policy on running a code.
• My kids are loyal to the one who they see the most. Just after 3 days of me working and Ryan home, they didn't want to have anything to do with me. What?! "I want to sit by Dad." "No I want to sit by Dad."
• There is very little to no free time. The last 4 days of my training, Ryan worked too so we had Grandma's and a friend watch the boys (thank you all!!). I would pick up the boys at 5 or 5:30 and then do the dinner bedtime routine and then get ready for the next day.. The weekend Ryan had to work so I was just doing boring maintenance stuff trying to get caught up over the weekend.
• I am so lucky to get to stay home most the time. I love staying home with the boys, even when they drive me crazy and I call one of you up exasperated from the last event. I could very easily work full time or even more then just a day a week, but I do not want to. Sometimes I feel like I have to defend that position even to some surprising people in my life, but defend I will because no matter how enticing advancing my career may seem, advancing my motherhood seems even better.
• I am so lucky to be able to work a little at a job that I love, pays well and is very mom friendly. True there are times when I feel like all I do is take care of people at home and then escape to work only to take care of more people, and yes there are parts I could do without, but over all I am very very happy to be a nurse and so lucky to be able to make some money for my family if/when they need it.

Overall assessment - working full time 8 hr days is terrible. I love my normally abnormal schedule.

Biking Orcas Island

Over memorial weekend the boys and I went on a 4 day bike trip to Orcas Island. Ryan had to work and didn't want to come anyways so it worked out well for all. This is a trip that my sister Rochelle has gone on for years and their family loves it. I wanted to go last year but without Ryan I thought Xander might die with a 2:1 ration child to adult. I decided this year he was better at following direction and felt more comfortable going by myself. I am glad we did because it was a BLAST! There was a group of 63 this year (smaller then years past). The group consists of families - boy heavy in gender. No problems for me because that also describes us. The ride is 13 miles and incredibly hilly. Despite my drive to find a double tow behind, we continued with our usual bike set up - Xander in a chair up front and Soren in the back peddling. I have done this bike set up for the past 2 summers, however turns out every year kids get heavier. I calculated I was probably carrying 110 - 120 extra pounds. There is a hill that is a mile long. Needless to say I did some hill walking, all the time resolving to get in better shape - I don't believe in hill walking. Riding to the campgrounds pretty much kicked my hinny hoe. But, it was sunny and beautiful that day and the san juan islands with sun is probably one of the most beautiful places. It is so charming that you temporarily forget the horrific reality of ferries and lack of employment and think to yourself, "I wish I could live here."When we arrived we saw this beautiful campgrounds and facilities. Camp Moran is delightful. These picture are particularly for my local friends in trying to convince you to go on this trip with me next year. Isn't dreamy?? There is hiking, swimming in the lake, fishing, canoeing, campfires, games and more. All breakfast and dinners are provided and you only have to help once in the kitchen either cleaning or preparing. My kids had so much fun helping clean up that they wanted to help out every time after that. The people who put this one are so friendly and nice and were always happy for extra hands - even little ones.

The camp is on a cute lake. It had a great dock and the kids enjoyed unsuccessful fishing and swimming in 65 degree weather. I enjoyed watching.

There seem to always be people playing games in the lodge. Soren learned about chess from his 6 year old cousin. I was busy with the 3 year olds so I don't know the sort of rules they decided on but whatever it was Soren loved it. Soren now can set up the board correctly and plays away - not always with an opponent. Kings, Queens, knights, castles - that is right up his alley. My boy looks like a genius in this picture as he contemplates how to crush his opponent. Your going down Jaden!

We wiped out Xander every day and by 4 or 5 pm, no matter where he was Xander couldn't seem to keep his eyes open.

There was a large group of teenage boys. These were the nicest teenage boys I have ever meet. They were so cooperative and pleasant. They ran together in a group and no one was left out. By the last night Xander caught wind of them and wanted to hang out with them the rest of the time - the amazing part was how nice and willing the boys were to play and talk with my boys. I found it fascinating that even though Xander didn't know these kids at all and they were all so much older then him, he had no problems dominating the conversation the WHOLE time he was with them.

We had a campfire one night and they put on an impromptu talent show. People stood up and told jokes, stories and lead camp song. Everyone was more then happy to participate. Even when the official campfire was over a group of teenage boys and a seperate group of adults stayed behind singing different camp songs. It was like the wholesome fun out of leave it to beaver.

We did have a little incident the first night. Soren fell off the top bunk on to the cement floor in the middle of the night. We are so grateful to God we didn't have any neuro injuries or bone fractures. This story is a wee bit longer then the version I am giving you but know that we were truly blessed.

Look at that. All smiles only 10 hrs after the fall. One tough kid.

We went on a hike one day and saw 3 water falls. It was a bit overcast and cold this day and I made Xander wear pants and a light fleece jacket. In true Xander form, 5 minutes after taking this picture Xander striped down to look like this the rest of the hike.

I love this picture with Xander running in the background. Who let him loose? This picture also features Soren shiner.
One of my fellow campers offered to take on of my kids on his bike for the ride back. It isn't as weird as your thinking. I knew this guy from a neighboring ward and we biked together the whole way back.. It was awesome being 70 pounds lighter (he took Soren). I felt like super woman. There was no hill that could defeat me!!! (granted it is more down hill compared to the way there - but shhhh my psyche does not need to know that.)

Like clockwork Xander fell asleep on the ride back just a mile from the ferry. 40# of dead weight is not the same as 40# of weight.

My sister and our family at the finish line. They were great to spend time with on the trip. Xander asks if we can go back about every other day. "Noted. You loved it. But we have to wait a year."