An Update

So the Provena (cardiology job) didn't really work out...I never heard anything from them either way, which I find pretty irritating...and I heard from a friend that a classmate had accepted the position...so, on to Carle. I interviewed with HR on Friday, and I think that went really well. Dawn, the HR nursing recruiter and I seemed to really be on the same page, and she acts like she will find a way to employ me, one way or another. Also on Friday I had an interview on North Tower 6 at Carle, with the nursing manager of that unit. NT6 is a geriatric medical unit, and while I'm sure (much like my past summer internship) I would be good at it, and eventually grow to kind of like it, geriatric medicine has nothing to do with Maternal-Child stuff so I'm not crazy about the idea of starting there. Yesterday I had an interview with OB (meaning post-partum/newborn nursery, eventually rotating to antepartum and labor and delivery as well). I felt like it went really well (but at this point in the game, your guess is as good as mine), and she has 6 positions open, so I think I have pretty good odds. Since I am the proud tennant of a lovely house for the next year in Urbana, this would really be the best job I could ask for, and a great transition (to a bigger&better NICU/town) in the future.

Speaking of house...I spent the end of last week and most of the weekend painting and getting ready to move in on Friday! The bedroom is a plum-sort of purple/mauve color (pics soon!) and the main living space is a light beige/sand sort of color. It really brightens up the space and makes it feel a bit more like mine. I've been taking carloads of stuff over for the past few days, yet my apartment still appears to be FULL! I have a few last minute tasks to complete and then moving day is here! Once I have things out of boxes I'll post more pictures, and I'll try and get some up of the color changes asap. In the mean time, keep your fingers crossed and your prayers sent about the OB job-I really really want this one!

A little taste--

Pictures!!! Yay!!! (Sorry for the blurry-ness of them, it was dark and my camera was low on batteries, therefore grumpy and not willing to take not-blurry shots) Enjoy!

Ok all, here are a few shots to keep you interested while I'm gone. The first is of the house itself. No, I am not loving the mint-green color, but it will be tolerable. I'm going to hang some plants from the porch and have dad plant hostas! Ben (my CUTE landlord) assures me that while I'm gone this weekend the branches will be cleared off the roof, lawn will be mowed, and trees will be trimmed. Hopefully it will look lovely when I return!

On to the inside:
When you walk in the house, you are in the cave-I mean-living room! The room has beautiful espresso colored hardwood floors, but no over-head lighting, and chocolate brown walls with a low ceiling. The overall effect is quite cave-like. Also, my pictures are limited to the rooms with overhead lights since I have only had time to visit the house in the evening and haven't brought over any lamps yet. So, after the living room is the kitchen. Here is a picture:
Yes, those are turquoise walls, and yes there is WOOD PANELLING on the upper half-gross!!! Oh, well, the size is good, the laminate floors are new and Emily matches! There is also a huge utility room, with washer and dryer (!) off the kitchen.

Down the hall to the right is the first bedroom, which I will be using as an office/guest room. It is currently painted Kelly Green, and while it might not be my first choice, it is tolerable! The hardwood is continued in this room.

To the left is the boiler room, and the bathroom. The bathroom is small, but has a tub, and some extra cabinet space, so I think it will be good.

Next is my bedroom, which has carpet (yuck), but it appears new-ish and clean. The walls are this lovely blue, which I don't really mind, but is doesn't match my stuff, so I think I'm gonna paint. Behind the bedroom door, there was a surprise...

Ben tells me that the former residents were artists, and that they will be coming back to pick up this little gem. Hopefully it will be gone when I get back from Chicago...

I mean, WHAT IS THAT??? And when you open it up, there are 3 sweatshirts hanging inside...um, ok...it needs to go ASAP- before I can sleep there!

Ok, well, that's all I got. Have a great weekend, and I'll post more when I get back and start cleaning/painting!

New Beginnings

Well, I may not be the fabulous writer that my sister is, but I've decided this blog thing is worth a try. My life is going to change in some big ways in the next few months, and I think it might be fun to document it. Sometimes it seems like just days ago when I left for UIC to become a nurse. Six years (and two college degrees later), as of Sunday, I am officially: Katie Ward, RN. Taking the NCLEX (the nursing board exam) on Friday I couldn't really believe that it was happening-how could it be, that in two short years, I've learned ALL that I need to know to become a nurse? I was still shaking so bad after the first 20 questions, I made myself get up and walk around, just to calm down. When it shut off at 99 questions I think my heart stopped! The two days of waiting were maybe some of the most difficult since I began this whole journey. The feeling after seeing that "pass" was one of the best! While I don't officially have a job yet, I have had 4 interviews (one at Vanderbilt...that didn't workout...and three for this cardiology position at Provena in Urbana). Hopefully I'll hear from them by the end of this week!

Yesterday, I signed the lease on a 2 bedroom house in Urbana. It is an older home, with some...quirks, and an interesting paint job, but I think with some TLC and a new coat of paint it will be pretty nice. I'll post pictures of the whole process on here, so you can all see. To dad's great amusement, I am supposed to provide my own lawn care...Um, can't I pay some 12-year-old to mow my lawn? We'll see how that goes.

This weekend (from Thursday to Sunday) is Wendy and Anil's Mexican-Pakistani Wedding Extravaganza, so the fun of home-rentership won't start until I get back...Stay tuned...