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I probably should not calculate my sleep this week in hours, just be greatful that I’m functioning with seemingly few deficits.  Chad and I got up this morning at four, the kids were already at Grandma and Grandpa Owens, but with getting home late I had not yet packed my bag.  It’s a good thing I don’t have much in the way of clothing options so there were no hard decisions.  Chuck (Chad’s dad) drove us to the airport in Portland ariving at 0600 to a security check point line longer than I have ever seen it. Good thing we were not all going to Vegas.  

 There was two legs to our flight with no sleep on either.  I did get to read through some of the paperwork from the AWHONN conference and send out an email.  

We arived around noon.  Last time we walked from the airport to our hotel, the heat was a bit of a problem, the distance was a little longer than it had looked, and Chad had a duffle bag with only a small handle.  It didn’t end up being a very fun walk.  This time it was cloudy we had only backpacks and we thought we knew what kind of distance we were getting ourselves into so against our better judgement we decided to walk again.  GPS said 4.5 miles/1.5hours walking time.  Hmmmm is it just me or does that seem further than last time I thought out loud.  It was hot with a good breeze whisking away some of my sweat and tangling my hair as it whipped behind me.  We stopped about two miles into our walk for lunch and a little AC.  I must have been a sight with my tomato red face and sweat soaked back.  A big glass of fresh Iced tea hit the spot, we were encouraged that we were almost half way.  

   The clouds started spitting at us and we wondered if it might not just start downpouring.  We ducked in and out of hotels down the strip just to try and cool off. This carpet is so fun!   
   By the time we got to where we stayed last time my feet and hips were starting to balk about the pavement pounding and we were still not really that close.  I don’t think I realized our hotel was not on the strip (although not disappointed).  We checked in around 3:00pm soaked in sweat, but still smiling.  The exercise was good for me.  I’m sure my aching hips are going to need an Advil intervention tomorrow.  After a nap and a shower (I fell asleep laying across the bed in my sweaty clothes 😬) we headed down to find the conference location and try out the Vietnamese restaurant.  Phó soup with tripe, oxtail, and tenderloin, veggie and shrimp rolls with peanut sauce and duck.  Chad and I sat beside eachother sharing each one.  They were all amazing.  I don’t know if we will make it out to try any other restaurants as we are already making plans to go back and try a few of the other dishes that looked interesting.   It is just barely 8:00pm and we are calling it a night.  

This is not my quickest trip to Idaho ever save one other time.  With an already packed schedule, when I got word on the 3rd of Jerry’s (surrogate family from our growing up years) passing I prayed that his service would fall on one of the three days this month that we didn’t have commitments.  When the memorial service times and dates were announced I started running through all my options of how it would be possible to make it to the service.  I did and still do feel incredibly blessed to have made it to the hospital a few weekends ago to say goodbye in person. Perhaps it is the nurse in me that made me want to show my support of the family in person, but it was more than that.  I wanted to witness the legacy I knew and felt especially in my conversations with Jerry in the more recent years, I wanted to be home and grieve with other people who felt the same loss, and I was looking forward to the faces from my past that I would get to see in the process.  Coined by his grandson, Jerry was a giant (figuratively) his character and integrity are unmatched in anyone else that I have ever known, he was instrumental in the Cambridge community, serving on boards and giving time and money to many causes and missions, yet he was humble, always studying and reading his Bible a well as  creation science research.  It was amazing to sit and hear from the congregation time and time again where the example and life that Jerry lead had touched each one of them.  I also loved that, in such a painful time as this, his wife Carol had this encouragement…. “Anyone could live a life like Jerry’s if only they would spend time everyday in God’s word.”  

I would not change the decision to drive from The AWHONN conference in Medford yesterday afternoon to Salem then to Pendleton on to Cambridge and now back all the way to Salem.  Jerry has passed the baton to all of us.  We know the gospel message, we have a Bible in our homes and we know what it takes (see above quote).  The ball is in our court let us run the race set out for us.  

 Below is a picture of our farm dinners.  I am missing (I think at kids camp) but Steph, Suzanne, mom and dad are on the right.  On the left is Ron, Kris and their boys and at the far end of the table is Jerry and Carol. 

      I used to babysit these cute boys and there little brother who was on the way at the time this picture was taken.

  Jerry teaching farming to his grandson.

  Unforgettable smile and kind eyes.

Today we decided to visit our last national park in Oregon. So we dropped off Sarah and headed out to Oregon Caves.

We dug out our sweatshirts and coats and prepared to dive into a cave that had over 500 steps and a low ceiling of 48 inches at the lowest.

On the way out if the cave Caleb lost a shoe on the last stairwell. Luckily the were able to get a retrieval team to go in and get it for us.

It was beautiful up in the park and we got to enjoy some the wildlife.

It made for a fun day that passed the time quickly till we had to go back to Medford to pick up Sarah.

~Chad

Today while Sarah was at her conference. We headed up to Crater Lake. We have been there a couple of times before but were missing the stamp from our passport book.

It was a fun day the was just enjoying the view as we drove around the lake.
~Chad

I feel a pain in my heart and don’t think I can adequately discribe it.  I started feeling it’s twang in my chest today as I sat and listened to a very educated and professional nurse/midwife/legal expert but as I think back it is not my first experience with this feeling.  Every decision or indecision as a labor and delivery nurse these days has to be examined based on how it would look in a deposition, every documented or not documented action, conversation, assessment, collaboration has to be able to stand up to extreme scrutiny.  That may be one thing if we were allowed time to document each at the moment it occurred but in general these things happen simultaneously and consecutively.  In a deposition (from my understanding based on coworkers experiences) the tone is accusing and at best feels like bullying.  The memories of these events are distant if there is any recollection after the years that have passed and the number of deliveries that have happened in between.  For me, being a nurse who puts her whole heart and energy into taking the best care of my patients that I possibly can, this perspective makes every anxious little mama potentially the end of my career by lawsuit.  No amount of studying and preparation, drills and certifications will give you a 0% maternal and infant mortality or morbidity rate.  So each day I go to work to love and serve my patient and play roulette with my own life.  This is not right.  Sometimes I feel like we should all tell our kids to not be teachers, policemen, nurses, or doctors it’s not worth it. (I know we are called to be servants of all, no promise of anyone ever being greatful)

On getting to the conference this afternoon I had taken a quick glance around the room and had not seen anyone that I knew.  There was one table with only one person at it so I headed there.  The other nurse who was from Legacy and I were talking about the Legacy system expanding to include Silverton Hospital as well as a few department specific things.  We had been talking for about five minutes when out of the corner of my eye I noticed one of my Samaritan Pacific co-workers.  I invited Paula to join us and we all three continued talking about different hospital systems in particular Providence and the hospital in Lebanon.  I have worked with Paula on several occasions now and have really enjoyed the conversations we have had.  The speaker began introducing the conference. The main agenda for this pre conference day was simulations and drills.  We stayed together through each group:  stabilizing early preterm infants, cardiac arrest in a pregnant mother, and hypertensive crisis.
When I saw that the conference was scheduled to be 12:00-9:00pm today I missed a two hour scheduled break from 5:00-7:00pm. What to do? Should I have Chad and the kids pick me up and take me back? Should I find a way to bide my time checking out the town?  

Paula invited me to join her for dinner at a friends house on our break.  I was hesitant because I didn’t want to inconvenience her at all.  I did end up taking her up on her offer.  It was fun meeting her friends from years back working at Klamath Falls.  Her friends were warm and inviting.  The two hours flew by.  I took this picture of a Zinnia flower!! So gorgeous! This is with no edits for color enhancement.  

 At 7:00pm we headed back to our evening networking get together.  It was a good day with lots of time spent outside of my comfort zone.  I feel completely blessed to have had this opportunity to get to know Paula.  I am looking forward to learning more in the next few days.  Staying informed in a rapidly changing medical specialty are a must.

Today was Medford’s In-N-Out grand opening.  We got into town an hour and ten minutes early for my work conference and so we decided on In-N-Out for lunch.  With the news crews, cones, tents and parking attendants, it was kind of fun to participate first hand.  The burger was extra good since I thing we have not eaten at an In-N-Out since leaving sothern California the first of March.  

   
    
    
 With our rag a muffin party of five and the only school aged children in the whole restaurant, I was glad no one came our way with a microphone.  We made it through the ordering line in 5-10 minutes and another 20-30 minutes was spend waiting for our number to be called and maybe a whole 15 minutes was spent polishing off our purchase. So good. 

On Monday I decided to take the kids on a hike. We love the outdoors and it seemed like a good way to spend the day while Sarah slept. So we packed a lunch and set off to South Drift creek trail.

I heard a little bit of complaining as we started out but the kids were quickly enjoying themselves as they marched along the trail.

They always get excited at seeing new and interesting things in the woods.

It was a beautiful hike and not too warm so it was a enjoyable walk.

After a 3 mile hike down into the canyon we finally reached the end.

The kids were very excited. Not sure if it was because we were at the end or they got to have lunch.

After hiking back out the kids were tired but all and all it was fun and they did a wonderful job for hiking 6 miles with a 1300 foot change in elevation. Hopefully we can go on many more in the time to come.

~Chad

Night shifts can either drag on and on or fly by there seems to be no in between.  Three shifts that were equal parts drag on and fly by were the perfect balance.  I continue to be amazed by the team spirit and positive attitudes around here.  How is it that it is so rare to find people who understand that the work is there you can choose to gripe and complain or go about your work cheerfully. One option makes your work feel like double and one makes your work load feel like half.  I learn something from every place I have worked.  It is becoming more and more clear what it is that I will learn here.  A smile and cheerful attitude along with a willingness to jump in (divide and conquer motto) makes even the crazy days good experiences.  I felt a little like my brains were scrambled eggs at change of shift this morning and they had a new agency nurse that I’m sure thought I was missing some screws.  It is nice to know that I am past that honeymoon faze and testing faze, that the nurses I work with trust me and see me as part of the team and not so much an outsider.  I don’t have to prove anything, the time I most look forward to in an assignment…although this has been my least stressful assignment to date I am enjoying no longer being the new traveler. 

After work I tried to take a two hour nap before checking out of the hotel, but that didn’t work too well.  At 10:00 we headed towards home. I felt rummy for a while but by the time we made it home I couldn’t sleep.  Instead I cuddled sleepy kittens and chatted with Chad making plans.   

 I figured that since I should be sleeping there should be no guilt about spending 5ish hours sitting on the couch cuddling kittens and visiting with my family.  

After dinner Louanne picked me up and we headed to Broadway Commons for coffee.  Although we have technically been home it has been almost a month and a half since we have seen each other.  A lot has happened in that time.  We talked story catching up on eachother’s lives.  I so enjoy Louanne’s friendship and perspectives she asks me hard questions and keeps me accountable on so many levels but in the same safeness I know I cannot (I think it would be nearly impossible but I probably won’t test the theory) disappoint her because she loves me no matter what allowing me to be myself whatever that may be all the while asking me those challenging questions to make sure I have thought of everything.  And, in the very next breath she is lifting me up with encouragement.  May the Lord bless her in the same way she has blessed me with her unconditional friendship. 

This weekend we were supposed to go to a family camp with our church.  It was going to be a bit rushed, but we would be able to come home late wednesday do laundry on Thursday, head to camp on Friday spend the weekend leaving there just in time to get to Newport for a shower before work.  Tuesday or Wednesday we got an email that said there was to be no pets allowed at camp.  We probably could have found someone to watch Myra but we didn’t really want to.  We had needed to do that for the previous weekend and this time because we would need to head straight back to the coast after camp would have to be for a whole week.  There were other straws like the only other day we could go to the fair was going to be complicated by three dentist appointments so if we wanted to take a whole day like we love to do it would have to be Friday. Yesterday I still hadn’t really decided if I had the energy for a day trip.  Maybe we should take Myra and keep her in the car for the one night.  could we get away with that?  No, that probably wouldn’t work.  Maybe we could head to the beach at the end of the day and just stay there an extra night.  I don’t think Chad and I were on the same page.  The fair was good although I felt a little bad about skipping on camp.  I had most my mind made up about going out for the day today, but besides laundry and making Musubi we didn’t do much.  Two days in one week that wasn’t chocked full of must dos.  Something about that just didn’t seem right, but the straw that broke this (going to family camp) camels back was the no dogs allowed.  It did allow for us to go on a date night tonight.  

Here are a few pictures from teaching Uncle Jayson how to make musubi this afternoon for lunch.  

    
    
    
   At dinner Chad and I ordered some lychee to split.  It was canned lychee but still good.   
 We miss you Big Island friends and loved to reminisce a bit while enjoying a few of the foods you taught us to love.  I’m still not sure we made the right decision.  It is important to rest sometimes right!?! Back to work tomorrow.