Its been one week!

It has only been a week since I left the beautiful valley of Salt Lake! Although it feels like much longer. The people here in Idaho Falls and Ammon (which is where I live) are amazing. Its something about being in a small town that brings everyone together. Everyone is so thoughtful and generous. I don't even know these people, but then I feel like I do and I've known them forever. On a side note I was anticipating the arrival of last Friday. One of the Drs I worked with at St Marks also comes to Idaho Falls and works every 4th Friday. I was looking forward to seeing her and working with her. Friday morning came and everyone was on edge (at work) and I couldn't figure it out, and then the surgical tech mentioned that this "Dr" is high maintenance. I chuckled and played stupid, (obviously she was a little stressed out.) I didn't say a word and continued to let her know I was here to help her. In my head I thought it would be fun to play dumb since some people just assume I am and don't know anything and then when the DR came into the room it would all change, in my favor! Well I went with the nurse who I was with that day to interview the patient and my plan flopped! The Dr was in the preop area and since we were with the patient we had to be appropriate so she winked at me and I smiled. I got choked up for a minute, I felt like I had come home! That this short week of being in Idaho was nothing and here I was with one of my favorite Drs, working and doing some of my favorite cases. It was HEAVEN!! Well of course this Dr went off to the whole OR how I was her favorite Nurse to work with at St Marks and how sad she was to see me go but excited to still be able to work with me here in Idaho. From that point on the staff treated me like royalty. LOL Asking me for advice, and I have to admit I felt a bit Special! Saturday I had the opportunity to go to the stake center and have a beautiful dinner with some beautiful sisters. All whom I have never met, by the end of the night I had several new friends and several new numbers. The broadcast was amazing. I felt so touched and so loved. It was an affirmation that I am where I get to be at this time and the Lord has not let me out of his sight. We sang the Hymn I'll Go Where You Want me to Go; and the words rang deep and true. "It may not be on the mountain height Or over the stormy sea, It may not be at the battle's front My Lord will have need for me. But if, by a still, small voice he calls To paths that I do not know, I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine: I'll go where you want me to go. Perhaps today there are loving words which Jesus would have me speak; There may be now in the paths of sin Some wand'rer whom I should seek. O Savior, if thou wilt be my guide, Tho dark and rugged the way, My voice shall echo the message sweet: I'll say what you want me to say. There's surely somewhere a lowly place In earth's harvest fields so wide Where I may labor through life's short day for Jesus, the Crucified. So trusting my all to thy tender care, and knowing thou lovest me, I'll do thy will with a heart sincere: I'll be what you want me to be." I realized that this is truly what life is about, trust. To go where He wants me to go, to say what He wants me to say and to be what He wants me to be. It looks different for everyone and that's the beauty of it. Even this one week, if that's all I was here for has taught me so much, has stretched me and brought me out of my comfort shell. I tend to be a hermit and its been great to let go of that thought and to socialize and get to know more of Gods children. Because we are ALL in this Together, to help move along the work, to be friends, to up lift one another and carry one another. What a beautiful process. (obviously this pic was not taken in Idaho Falls, but its beautiful and I wanted to share!)

Some of you might ask why? Why did I leave an amazing job with some incredibly amazing people? Well some days I ask that too but the bottom line is I wanted more. I felt like there was something else out there for me that I wasn't getting at my current job. At times I felt like I should be learning and applying myself more and I wasn't finding it. A lot of frustration developed and I found myself asking what next? What is my next step? Do I stay? Do I try and find a job in St George? Or do I travel? I have wanted to travel for a long time and it has never worked out, because it wasn't meant to be at the time. I started praying and contemplating my life and the opportunities and roads I could take. My first thought is I am single, I have no family here in SLC and really nothing tying me to SLC. My next thought is I am back in school getting my Bachelors in Nursing, and I want to go further like CRNA (anesthesia), or Nurse Practioner school, but the only way to do that is to be able to pay off my school loans and financially get ahead. And then traveling came into my mind. I can see the world, learn a ton, and get a lot of experience that I couldn't get if I stayed, and be able to create an income to pay of my loans and go back to school and meet and make some new friends along the way. It was a big leap of faith and trust. I started talking with the travel company and told them when I would be available and then I sold everything in my apartment, minus my clothes and a few necessities, and gave my landlord my 30 days. I started to wig out and wonder if I was doing the right thing. I then had a peace wash over me and I knew it would all work out. I moved in with a friend and then played the waiting game with the travel company. I had applications all over the US, and then one came up for Idaho. I thought I don't know about Idaho, but its not too far from SLC and its close to Jackson! (I have a thing for Jackson! Thanks to Amy!) I instinctively knew this is where I would be going, but I didn't tell anyone in case it didn't work out. Idaho called and I had a phone interview and got excited at the possibility and what they had to offer. They are a trauma hospital, the one I was working at was not, They do a lot of pediatrics, the one I was working at did not, and the list goes on. What an incredible opportunity to learn trauma, peds and everything else that takes place in the OR. As happy and excited I was to move forward, I felt like my heart was ripping in two. I worked with an amazing group of people that I have grown to love and respect. I see and spend more time with them than my own family, they were my family and then I was going to leave them? I was devastated. Well the good news is there is facetime and email and instagram and I can still see them just not in person everyday. Idaho accepted my application and on Sept 9, I put in my 2 weeks at work. You know when everything is meant to be it all works out perfectly. There is no fight or struggle with how things will turn out because they just do. For me it was learning about trust and letting go of fear. The fear of how it would work out, where I would live, what people would think or say, what if Idaho didn't like me, what if I didn't like traveling? Leaving SLC and driving to Idaho was very bitter sweet. I pretty much cried the whole drive and at times wondered if I was doing the right thing, and then I would remember the reason behind my decision and then the peace would follow and I knew this is where I get to be at this time.