Adjusting

Yesterday was my first full day working from home. It was ... strange. I got up with JB at 5:30 am, mainly so I could hang out with him a bit before he left at about 6:45. I also wanted to start work. My goal is to "work when he is working". So that's what I plan on doing. He gave me my shot, and we both broke to different rooms to do our devotions, followed by breakfast.

Right now we have our two extra rooms set up as: (1) my office (2) a library/guest room. Eventually, if we are blessed with a child in this home, we'll probably make my office a child's room and move the office to the dining area in the kitchen. We have two dining rooms. What the heck are we going to do with two dining rooms! This kitchen area has three windows and would make for a sunny spot to work. The library/guest room will be John's room when guests aren't here. He didn't ask for much in this new house, but a room that I wasn't typing in was one of his requests. For graduation, his father, a master carpenter, promised bookshelves of JB's choice. So those will eventually join the room and make it a real library instead of a room with a futon and book boxes stacked in the closet.

Anyways, so back to the strangeness. I ended up working from 7-5 yesterday and didn't take any breaks except a brief pause to have these two glorious pieces of machinery delivered! How awesome are these babies?!

I laughed at an email Lesley sent me yesterday. She and Dave have moved into their house in Rochester and for the first time in their married life, have a washer and dryer in their home. (In our condo, there was a laundry room downstairs.) Lesley wrote how awesome it was to throw in a load and then "putter" around. I agree! It was the biggest sacrifice I had to make when we move into the condo. Lesley didn't know what she was giving up in the condo. But I knew, and I'm glad to have them back.

All right, I can tell I am going to have trouble staying on task with this blog. Back again to the strangeness.

So anyways, I ended up working 10 hours -- about 5 hours for Mayo and 5 hours for RLSF. I've got some catching up to do from the time I took off to move. I am used to working distance for RLSF as I have been working primarily out of my home for them for the last year. But it is new for Mayo, and I was concerned about how it would work out. Yesterday went great. The only problems currently (no phone and no printer/fax) will be fixed this week. The only major frustration was having to go out to the front porch every time someone needed to talk to me.

What was strange was how quiet everything was. I was actually glad for the company of our little lovebird, Twain(ette). I let her come in and sit on the back of my chair for quite some time, and she seemed to enjoy that. However, with JB gone all day and not knowing anyone here, it's very strange to just be by myself all day. I'm sure I'll get used to this more. I'm sure I'll get to know more people and take more breaks. Right now, I can't exercise, but when I can, I hope to take breaks throughout the day for exercise. For now, however, all this quiet will take some getting used to.

The only friend I have here is Jenny. I met her through Roberta last year when I came to visit JB on his rotation. She and her husband were dealing with infertility. Last week she had her first son -- Jackson, through IVF, after a very long and bed-ridden pregnancy. She emailed me and said we should get together next week. I'm excited about that. Unfortunately, Jenny's husband is a fighter pilot, and they are being moved to Texas in August! Oh well. At least I'll know someone for a little bit.

We are excited that our first guests will be here next week. My Tante (Aunt) Jan, and Oom (Uncle) Ed are coming to visit for a few days. After they leave, Brianna V. will be coming up for a week. I am so blessed by the company. Even though I'll still be having to work when company is here, it will be wonderful to have some people around. (Hint-Hint-People!)

John finally got home about 5:30 or so yesterday evening. We sat and talked for awhile, and he showed me his schedule for the next year. That was another thing that was a bit scary. He will be quite busy. He is starting with the most difficult rotation of all -- Labor and Delivery. Two weeks of the month-long rotation are nights. He will then have two other two week periods that he is on night call for different rotations. I had originally thought he'd be on nights only four weeks this year, but it looks like it will be six.

Following this rotation, he does a month in Pensacola at a different hospital. Apparently this is a good rotation but the hour drive each way makes it a little taxing. In total, during the year, he gets two weeks that he can take off for vacation. He can spread these out however he wants, but there are only certain rotations that allow for a break. Other rotations do not have the option of taking a break. He knows for sure that he is not allowed a break at Thanksgiving. He has the option of taking some time at Christmas but a lot of that will be determine by our test results next week. I am hoping he will have to save that two weeks for a special gift in 2008.

Aaaah ... test results. This has been a pretty easy 2ww (2 week wait) mainly because I have been so distracted with surprising the family in Fort Lauderdale, driving here, and moving in. But now that things are settling down, I am counting the days until I go in for my blood work. John is working on finding somewhere here that I can get that blood work done being as we are no longer in Rochester. It shouldn't be a problem. I will then have to call my results in to Mayo as they require close contact regarding my status. I, as always, am not going to give the exact day I am getting the results just because I like to leave something to surprise, but I get them next week, and of course, I'll let everyone know as soon as I am ready. For now, no news is good news. Hard to believe try #4 is about to culminate into an announcement so soon.

Right now, Saturday morning, JB is helping his classmate Matt who lives around the block get some sod. Apparently you can get as much sod as you want for free at the "self-help" store. This is good because our yard is currently grass-less. Since Matt has a truck, JB can help him and then borrow the truck (and Matt) in return at a later date. Not too shabby a deal. When he gets home, we hope to go for a walk. I would LOOOOoooveeee to run here. But I'm praying that it will be a long time before I can go for a run.

We'll find out next week.