I'm Back...

I only wish I could tell you that we have a job and we are moving to a certain place, but I can not. I know, I know.... you are thinking "isn't that what you took this "vacation" for?" I can explain. Shawn interviewed in 9 different clinics in 4 weeks. 2 of the clinics he was at for 1 week. He learned a lot at each place...things he liked, and things he didn't. Of the 9, only 4 are looking to hire someone for sure. He has a offer at a clinic in Blackfoot, Idaho. We are waiting to hear back from 3 other clinics. He drove some 2400 miles this trip, ate out countless times, and slept in 6 different places. I met up with Shawn in Buhl, Idaho located about 20-30 minutes west of Twin Falls. It is a small, quiet, friendly little town. The people at the clinic there were so warm and friendly. I spent the two short full days I was there looking at the real estate market in the area and have a really good idea what we are looking at paying for a house with some acreage. I think that I looked at everything around our price range in the two days, and found 1 place that I could see us calling home, but it isn't the ideal house that I was hoping for. From Buhl, Shawn and I drove to Twin Falls to stay over night with Shawn's sister and her husband. We were able to go do some sealings at the Twin Falls, Idaho Temple Saturday afternoon. That was such a wonderful experience. It was nice to slow down for an hour while we were there and really feel the peace the Temples have to offer.
Sunday afternoon we drove from Twin Falls to Blackfoot, Idaho. We drove through the worst snow storm that I have ever driven in. There were a few slide offs, and roll overs, but we took is slow and we made it there safely. We stopped in Pocatello, Idaho to use the bathrooms, and to feed Paige. I was nursing Paige in Walmart (all covered and showing nothing), when the front end supervisor came up to us and told us they have a "private" room for us cause people get concerned when a mother is nursing out in the open. So, here's the thing about this...Paige averages 7 minutes when nursing. I had already been sitting there for 5 minutes, and so I told her that I was almost done. But she insisted and so I followed....let me tell you...that private room was a JOKE! It was the room behind customer service called the electric room. NO kidding. They put my in a tiny room with electrical cords, 2 way radios and who knows what else just to make a few maybe uncomfortable people feel better about them selves. If you are one of them...sorry. I think that yes, a nursing mother should be private. Usually I would nurse in the car, but with the snow and the low temps, I decided it would be more comfortable to Paige being inside. Maybe I should have just stayed in the van and that would have been more comfortable than this dirty electrical room they called "private". Give me a break. Ok, now I am getting off my soap box.
Shawn spent 3 days in Blackfoot, I again, looked over the area and found a house that I could easily see us putting an offer on if we were to take the job there. I also found my dream home, but it is out of reach at the moment. In a few years we could afford it, but I would be uncomfortable trying to make the payments work right now. From Blackfoot, Shawn interviewed at a Clinic in Pocatello. The last interview was in Rigby, and while Shawn was there, I drove up to Rexburg to see the temple there. We drove that afternoon from Rigby, to Nampa. Emma and Mason were so happy to see us, and we them. Saturday morning we were on our way home by 9:30 and made it home by 3:30. I am happy that the last 4 weeks were successful. I feel like we did what we wanted to and that we are anxiously waiting some more results. Shawn has 2 weeks here at the teaching hospital at WSU and the 2 more weeks of vacation. If by some chance, we don't feel like any of the offers are what we should accept, some how Shawn will be off to North Dakota to interview at 3 or 4 clinics there. Please keep him and the possibilities of staying in Idaho in your prayers. I am not super excited about North Dakota, but if we are suppose to be there, I will go.
It's good to be back. I have browsed your blogs when I had down time and really enjoyed reading about the things going on in your lives. I love the fact that I can be so far from people I love and learn so much from and still have contact and reassurance that I am not the only one feeling a load on my shoulders that I am not sure I can carry. Thank for sharing your lives with me.
I have lots of picture....and will share them in the days to come. For now, I am off to bed, so I can get back to working out at 5:30 am tomorrow.