Two weeks & four months . . .

That's how long I have been in my new job and Doug in his. It has been a major adjustment in our household, but I am happy to report that we are all still standing. Doug is just four days away from finishing his training and I have just begun. He will soon begin advising TIAA-CREF customers what to do with their retirement funds. I suggested he tell them about our little vacation fund that is in need of some additional monies, but he was concerned he might get fired.

I worked my first official shift on my unit this weekend and it was surreal. The day started with a 22-day-old infant who came to Children's because his heart rate was wacky. Sure enough, it didn't improve and his heart rate became dangerously high (over 300 when normal for an infant is 120-160). An emergency was declared and people came running. The teamwork on the cardiac unit between doctors and nurses was amazing. At one point, the attending physician asked me if I wanted to push the next round of meds (OK, keep in mind, this is my first day on the unit!). So, there I am pushing a medication into the IV of a 3 week old baby that literally stops and restarts the heart. Can you say adrenaline rush? As I looked over to the mom who was in the room watching the whole thing with tears running down her face, I felt her fear. I walked over to her to bring her up to speed on what was happening and in that instant I knew why I was there that day. And, so while I wish I didn't have to work full-time initially, I am so proud of my kids for hanging in there and being such troopers! Oh, and the picture is the lobby of the hospital--pretty incredible!