MY WONDERFUL JOB

Lots of people have been asking me lately what it's like to work in the NICU. What do the babies look like, how old are they, etc.... Well, I found some stock photos online that give a good example of what some of the premature babies look like that I take care of. Many of the babies are born early (as early as 23-24 weeks sometimes) and are there for months. Handling them with all their tubes and lines can get pretty crazy. I've only been training up there for three weeks and am just starting to get the hang of things. Thankfully I will have a long orientation, and the nurses have been great about showing me diff. things to learn. The most frequent question I get asked is if I am enjoying my new job. I absolutely love it, and I am often overwhelmed by the preemie's cuteness. Especially when they gaze at you through the isolette. Who wouldn't want an adorable little face looking at them all day? :)

-Leah

Camping near Tomahawk

Here are some pics of our camping trip last weekend. The dogs had soo much fun. The awake pics of them are from on the way there, and the sleepy ones show them all tired on the way home because we made them swim three times that day so they'd sleep in the car. ;)

BABY STUFF!!!!!

OK, I admit it, I am addicted to garage sales and craigslist. :) I have found sooo many cool things for our baby that I just had to post some pics. The crib was FREE!!!!, the changing table we found the same day from someone on craigslist, and it just happens to be the same one that goes with the crib (Pali). The jogging stroller was practically new at a garage sale for $10, and the swing was $2!!!! I also found this great pack-n-play by Carters yesterday that has the very hungry catepillar design, along with stuffed catepillar, sun, strawberry, etc.. on the mobile. It also plays music, has a light and vibrates. I still have a barnyard crib bedding set from Lands End (I got for practically nothing when I worked there in 2001) and Eric's sister Brittany gave us TWO whole rubbermaid containers full of baby clothes!! Most are boy clothes, but if we were to get a girl there are also some unisex pieces in there. We also have another tote full of clothes from a garage sale that gave them to us for FREE!!!! I could not believe it. Now we just have to figure out a paint color for the nursery. Any suggestions???

My Sister's Graduation

My sister, Lydia, just graduated from nursing school. Congrats Lyd!! Here are pics of her covered in silly string (thanks to Eric) :) The bottom pic is Eric and I at the party.

New Timeframes

It looks like a trend is developing with our adoption agency. Right now, it is taking 9-10 months for people to get a referral, and then 12-15 weeks to travel to get their children after that. So, I am hoping for a referral around January 2009.
Also, I found out I will be starting in the NICU in mid to late July, so that will take my mind off waiting for awhile. :)

I'm going to be a NICU nurse!!

We have exciting news! I just got a new job as an RN in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Meriter! I start sometime around Mid-June or so, and will be working 4 shifts a week, and a mix of Evening and Night shifts. The NICU is where I started working as a HUC in 2002, so I know a lot of the staff, and that floor was what originally got me interested in nursing, so I am so happy to be able to work there now. They are located right above the floor I currently work on, so it won't be too much of a scenery change. :)
I am glad that this is happening now because it will give me time to focus on work and not think about waiting for our adoption to happen.
Well, I'm off to play with the dogs. Bye!
-Leah

WE ARE ON THE WAIT LIST AS OF 4/3/08!!!!!

We did it! We finished all our paperwork for the Dossier and just found out today that we are on the official waiting list for an infant!!! The wait is still 6-9 months, but we were told to expect more like 8-9 months. It may go up in the future due to an increase in the amount of applications, but we will just have to wait and see. After we get a referral, there is about a 10 week waiting period, and then we can travel to Ethiopia to get them. I am thinking that this time next year we will be either traveling or getting ready to travel.
There won't be too much to post from now on, but if anything new comes up, I will let everyone know.
Sigh.....no more paper shuffling. Now I can start catching up on my reading again. :)
I just started reading a really good book called "Notes from the Hyena's Belly". It was written by a man who grew up in Ethiopia, and it's all about his childhood and adolescence there. So far it is really interesting.