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Friday, January 25, 2008

$$ Cha-ching!! $$

Okay, so the studying and the application and the drive, yah, they all suck . . . but two days ago, I finally got a call with the offer from my new job, salary and all. OMG!! I mean, O. M. freaking G.!!! It was more than I EVER in a million years expected and more than makes up for the hours and the travel. Now I really can't wait to get started!!

Seriously, I am so happy and excited to be working as a practitioner and this money is just icing on the cake. YAY!!! Looks like school paid off, huh?? :-)

~Layne

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Soo Slloowwww. . . .

I have started to suck at updating this thing but I'm trying to do better. The good news is that I got that job in Melbourne! YAY!! I actually get to be a nurse practitioner! The interview went well, and everyone seemed to like me and I like them too! The commute is a bummer (about an hour away). But it won't be 5 days a week, so that's good.

I'm just frustrated because it seems like my life is moving in slow motion. I was so pumped last week at the idea of my first job at a practitioner and moving to Orlando. But the bad news is I still have to take my certification exam and get credentialed, which takes forever. And you should see this application they are having me fill out. It's like 20 pages long and wants me to sumbit everything but my first born. I thought the application would be the easy part. Umm, no. At this rate, who knows when my start date will be?? It just feels kinda anti-climactic.

And I feel so unmotivated to study for this stupid exam. Exhibit A: I'm sitting here typing this as opposed to being off somewhere with my nose in a book. Oh well. My test date is February 22nd, so I have a little while now. Wish me luck!

~Layne

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Big changes, big week. . .

Alright so last week I thought I had everything together. I had convinced myself that it would just take a while to sell the house (how perceptive of me, especially since it had been listed since October with NO inquiries!!) and that there were just no NNP jobs in the Central Florida area and I would just have to be an RN in Orlando until something opened up. I had convinced myself of all these things and forced myself to be at peace with them. And I was so on the ball that I had an interview in Orlando last Friday and while I was there I was planning on signing a lease for an apartment so I could finally join Brad there.

Then Thursday happened. That's Thursday January 10th. From before I had even woken up that day I got a phone call from Pediatrix. They wanted to remind me of a position in Melbourne at a Level 2 NICU. I had heard about this position before but completely dismissed it because I didn't want to live or commute that far away (60-90 minutes) and I thought I had plenty of viable opportunities in Orlando. I was about to dismiss it again when the recruiter started talking about the unit and how much they need someone and what harm can it do to check it out? I told her I would like more info before I committed to anything.

After I hung up, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I mean, here is a practitioner position that they are offering up and I really didn't want to be interested. I mean where would we live? Could I deal with that commute? Did I want a Level 2 position? I had always told myself, NO, I would not take a position in a Level 2 right out of school, I had too much to learn and I wanted to be in a higher acuity environment. But I also said I wanted an NNP job, sooner rather than later. And wasn't it more valuable to be a practitioner somewhere, anywhere, rather than an RN?? All of these questions were swirling around in my head and I wanted to scream because 20 minutes before my life had been planned. I knew what I was doing and I wanted to stay the course, damn it! And everything was supposed to be set in place the very next day!! I considered it, got some advice and, in the end, decided that this opportunity was just too valuable to ignore.

I decided to go ahead with the interview on Friday for the RN position. I also decided to look at a few of the original apartments we'd had in mind and a few on the side of town we would live on if I got the job in Melbourne. That day was crazy, from dusk 'til dawn, I ran. Here's a timeline for how the events played out:

7:30am - Wake up, shower, dress.

9:00am - As I'm on my way out the door, I get a call from the medical director of Pediatrix who wants to talk with me about the NNP position. I get a few questions answered and he says that the attending for that unit (the one who will be considering for the position) will give me a call within the next 24-28 hours.

11:00am - I sit down with Wanda, the nurse manager for the NICU at Florida Hospital. She says she's spoken with some people who know me and who have spoken to me and doesn't really have any questions for me. She then procedes to pick up the phone and call HR in order to get paperwork ready for me to start work there. WHOA!! So basically I'm hired?, I ask. Yes. I told her thank you but could I have some time to think about it since, of course, I wanted to keep myself available for the NNP position.

12:00pm - My mom and I meet up for lunch at PF Changs. YUM.

1:00pm - We head out to look at apartments on the Lake Nona side of town, closest to Melbourne. On our way a realtor calls and says her clients want to see our place!! The very next day!! And they are very interested!! I was so glad that finally we were getting some interest.

4:00pm - We saw two places in Lake Nona but were running out of time so we decided to head back to the north side of town. On our way, Dr. Vellette (the attending for the Melbourne NICU) calls me and we talk for over an hour. He tells me a lot about the position and all of it is good news. They take vented patients, as an NNP I would go to admissions, etc. All good news. Basically, they aren't just a glorified nursery, I will get some actual experience there. And he wants to meet me!! So I scheduled a meeting for Wednesday, January 16th. I was so excited!

6pm - Brad had met up with us and we saw only 2 more apartments before all the offices had to close. We stopped and got coffee, dropped in to Brad's parents to say hi to them and Megan and Micheal (cousins who were visiting) and hit the road by 7:30pm.

9:30pm - Brad and I finally get home. We still haven't eaten dinner. It had been such a long day. I can't believe how much had changed in just over 24 hours. I felt like my head was spinning. But I did leave Orlando with an interview for an NNP position, not to mention an RN position waiting for me in a great unit if that doesn't work out. We also have our first bites on the house for sale. Unfortunately we did leave Orlando without an apartment. We can't very well decide were we'll live until I know what city I'll be working in.

So tomorrow, hopefully, is the day I'll know where I'm working. I'm so excited and I just want it to be here. At first I just wanted to cry that all this stuff was messing up plans I had worked so hard to make and be at peace with but now I believe it was a blessing in disguise. We can always go back to Plan A if this doesn't work out but I just can't be sorry for pursuing the job I want as an NNP. Even if it isn't the perfect job, I'll still be a practitioner and that's exciting! And the apartments on that side of town are beautiful even if they aren't close to loved ones, they are much closer than we are now! I think this would be okay for us in Orlando, and not the misery that I was envisioning, if it works out. I should know one way or another soon. Until then, pray for me and wish me luck!

~Layne

Fall on real life
Is anybody left there sane?
If we slide on over and accept fate
Then it's bound to be a powerful thing
- Matchbox Twenty, "Black and White People"

Thursday, January 10, 2008

I finally feel productive!!

Okay, so last week I wallowed and felt sorry for myself. A lot! This week I felt much more motivated and decided to kick myself into high gear. So I have toiled and researched over apartments in Orlando. I started out with 23 and narrowed the list down to 7. I'll be driving down to Orlando this Friday to check them out!! I can't believe we may be moving into a new place soon!! Most of them are pretty far away from Brad's job and pretty close to the suburbs where we grew up. I know some people think we are nuts for living so far away from our jobs. But, honestly, if I have to decide on an apartment super-fast, I feel way more comfortable picking one in an area I'm familiar with. I mean, I've never really been around the Doctor Phillips area (this is where Brad works) and I have no idea which places are nice or safe or convenient. And it's just an apartment. We can always spend the next year looking for a house that would give us a better commute. But for a year, we'll just suck it up.

Also, I got a call this week from Winnie Palmer Hospital that they want to interview me! I'm pretty sure it's for an RN position rather than a practitioner position but at this point, I'll take anything! The problem is, I've spoken with both facilities, and I kinda get a better vibe from Florida Hospital. A much better vibe. Unfortunately, I've been told multiple times that they have no openings, for practitioners or RNs!! So I decided to call the manager and ask her directly. Well, we had met before and she remembered me!! She scheduled me for an interview on the spot!! So Friday, when I go to Orlando to look at apartments, I will be interviewing for an RN position in the NICU at Florida Hospital also!!

It's so hard to believe this is all happening. I've gotten so used to living in Gainesville and wanting to come back to Orlando but knowing that it was a long way off. And it's really weird that it's actually finally happening. I'm trying hard not to get bogged down in the fact that I won't be moving to the job I want, which in all honesty, is depressing. But I'll be so happy to be close to my family and old friends again. Not to mention living in the same city as Brad! That's always a plus! Well, I'm really anxious for Friday to just get here already! I feel very pent up. But I will be sure to keep everyone updated on how everything goes down.

Wish me luck! Hopefully by the end of the day on Friday I'll be heading back to Gainesville with my husband, a job and a new apartment. How great would that be!!

~Layne

Friday, January 4, 2008

So much time, so little to do . .

So Brad has been away for 2 days and it's killing me. I feel like such a wimp but I miss him like crazy. This house feels very empty. I've been really trying to focus on job-hunting and studying. But I've also been spending TONS of time looking for an apartment for Brad and I in Orlando. It's a little overwhelming. And, in case anyone hasn't noticed, Orlando is a tad bigger than Gainesville.

Anyway, since I've been a bit of a hermit since the holidays, I don't have much to report. So I though I'd share some holiday pics! Enjoy!


This is a picture from a fancy banquet that my mom and I went to right before Christmas. She was celebrating her 35th anniversary with Disney! I'm so proud of her and I had so much fun with her!



The very next day after the Disney banquet I headed back to Gainesville for GRADUATION!! (see above)

Finally, Brad and I took pictures with our lovely dog, Raina, for our Christmas cards. Here is a pic from that session!

Hopefully, I'll have more to report soon! Take care!

~Layne

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

2008? God, I hope it's good!

Hey folks!

As most of you know, I just graduated school in December of 2007. This will be the first time in my life since before kindergarten that I have NOT been in school. I am very excited, very nervous and will be, I'm predicting, very bored.

Most of you also know that I'm a type A personality. A good friend just told me that she wasn't happy unless she had things on her "list." Without even asking, I knew which list this was. The infamous "to-do" list of Type A's everywhere. The one where you will put something on that you have already done, just to be able to cross it off! Well, I like lists too. They make me feel productive.

Two big things on my to-do list include 1) Get a JOB!! I mean, I have all this education and I'd really like to use it. We'll see how that pans out. 2) Pass my boards. I don't even have a test date but I really should get to studying. Sadly, my momentum is all but gone after graduation. Oh! And another thing I'd like to do ASAP: 3) Move to Orlando. My husband, Brad, just got a full-time job there and wouldn't you know, I miss him. Seeing as I still reside and work in Gainesville and all. Unfortunately, moving entails finding a job (see #1 on the list) and selling our house. Again, we'll see how this all pans out.

Considering I only work two nights a week and my husband is away all week long, I figured in-between completing tasks I may need a hobby to fill my day. So with all my new freedom and time, I thought I'd work on this blog. At best, it may turn out to be a fun and fulfilling way to pass the time and keep friends and family informed. At worst, it's an embarrassing but entertaining log of my life in 2008. I'm looking forward to posting some pics and updating more but for now I think I'm done rambling. More to come . . .

~Layne

The sky was gold, it was rose
I was taking sips of it through my nose
And I wish I could get back there
Someplace back there, in the place we used to start
I want something else
- Third Eye Blind, "Semi-Charmed Life"