Shhh, we are hunting for whabbits!!

Sorry, couldn't help the title. It reminds me of Elmer Fudd...from the Looney Toones. Seriously, sometimes I feel like those hunters in the fall...paying for a ticket just to have a chance at a deer....and striking out.....but anticipating the next year....and the year after that....knowing that SOMETIME I will be the lucky one...

In March, there was a PRN ultrasound job at IHC's Cassia Hospital in Burley. Being a bit over zealous and ill prepared, I applied for it. LOL, needless to say I never heard back from them.  So recently (middle of September), I looked at their job board, and it was still left open from March....I gathered up the courage to call the manager and ask what they were looking for so that I could prepare myself to fulfill the position. However, no one answered, so I left a message. A day or two later I received a voice mail from the manager saying they wanted to set up an interview and see if it would work out. I was beyond ecstatic and called back asap. Again, no answer so I left a message. Called back later in the day, again, no answer....left a message. I called the next day...no answer, but I decided 2 messages were enough....still waiting for that phone call. Kind of bazaar...wondering what happened....oh well, moving on...

Around June I decided to apply for a few ultrasound jobs, just to see if I could get a bite or not. Well, I applied to a women's clinic in Idaho Falls, and got a phone call the same day. I drove a couple of days later for an interview (2 1/2 one way) and felt that everything went really well. I loved the facility and it even had LDS artist's painting on the walls....what a breath of fresh air! However, Joe and I prayed about it and just requested that if it wasn't a good fit for us, we didn't want it!! So, a week or so later, I received a call that they chose someone who was registered already and had a year's experience. We were a little bit disappointed, but felt that it was for the best. She referred me to a position in Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, in Idaho Falls and also asked me to contact them when I graduate. They might have more openings in July 2013.

I also applied for a few jobs in the Boise area (St. Luke's, St. Alphonsus, you name it, I did it), knowing that I could probably stay with Joe's mom and brother if I needed to. But I never heard back from them....

My clinical instructor for St. Luke's in Twin Falls told me they opened up a PRN position here and to apply for it (first of September). I did that immediately....still haven't heard back from them....I will wait patiently. I will be competing against another Weber student and a registered tech that hasn't worked for 5 yrs...not feeling confident.

SO....around the middle of September, I received a phone call regarding my application to St. Luke's Nampa Hospital (yes, I had to recall the MANY applications and what this one was). They requested an interview and I made sure that they understood that I was a student and wasn't registered, but would asap after my graduation (I didn't want another false hope like Idaho Falls, drive 2 hrs just to find out later that I didn't meet their criteria). They said that would be fine. SO I drove to Nampa, and had a 5 person panel interview me (3 on a conference call and 2 in person). Long story short, it was an intense 30 min interview with a request to go to Downtown Boise to scan at their facility there. Over all, I felt very confident of my interview and my scanning, but worried that I might have been slightly inadequate with the scanning. Just last Friday, I received a voice message saying that I was hired!! And so I have been trying to get things in line for that to take place. I sign paperwork Monday and have my orientation next Thurs. But my actual training won't start until Oct. 9th.

It is only a PRN position, which means I would just cover the vacations and needs. ANYTHING helps and so I was excited for the opportunity, and to have it on my resume. I am working on getting the paperwork filled out so I can get school clinical hours for the hours that I work....NICE!! To get paid and credit at the same time....PLEASE!! And it is a substantial increase to what we are earning right now, even with just the few hours. Long story short...the manager emailed me thinking he can get me the full 24 hrs a week between all of the facilities in the valley. So, that is kind of exciting. However, that would mean a lot of commuting...so there is always the thought of Joe and I packing up our stuff and living with his mom for awhile in Nampa. He would drive down to Twin Falls every Thurs for classes in the fall....every Tues and Thurs for classes in the Spring. They have 2 clinical sites at Mountain Home (1 hr from Nampa) that he could possibly get. They are still required to go to St. Luke's Twin Falls Hospital for 1 semester....I don't know....That is a lot of driving for him too....But Boise has so many more options for employment for me and for him. I am concerned about both of us finding a job in the same department in the same hospital, which is the case in most of the towns in Idaho. They usually only offer one hospital....There are so many things to think about and decide so quickly....YET AGAIN!

I asked Joe why everything in our life has to be so crazy, why we are required to make such big decisions in such a short amount of time.... Needless to say, I regret moving to Idaho for multiple reasons, mainly for finding healthcare work. It has been HORRIBLE trying to find me a job....and even Joe one too. We haven't been picky, in fact pretty desperate. It scares me to death to not find an ultrasound job after I graduate....So I think that this might be the answer to prayers. Gooding is an option, but my shifts are so sparadic, and they won't let me scan until I am graduated....and even then, there aren't a lot of ultrasound exams ordered. And they are only licensed to do the first trimester OB exams...It's all too confusing....distinguishing the answer. We shall see what happens....in the mean time...if your thoughts head in our direction, would you mind saying a little prayer in our behalf? Thank you =0)

College of Southern Idaho, Radiology Class of 2014....

This is Joe's class that he will be with for 2 years. Oh the fun they will have =0) He is excited that there are so many men in the class. Pretty impressive, if I may say so myself. When I went to class there were 4 out of 20 for Weber State's Provo Campus. They have already decided their clinical sites. I guess that the majority of the class had agreed on sites and were happy about the decisions....but then there were of the girls that threw a fit, and as we have all experienced, ruined it for the rest of them. Joe was going to get: Gooding, Burley, and then Twin Falls. But now, he has Idaho Falls, Jerome, and Twin Falls. Idaho Falls is 2 1/2 hrs away...not so fun. But we will see. A lot can happen in the next 2 semesters. He starts his clinical rotation Summer of 2013, working 40 hrs a week. Fall of 2012 is 20 hrs a week. Spring of 2014 is 40 hrs a week. We are both excited for him to have hands on experience...

What's up with the Johnson's

SO, I know that I have said this before, but we don't have any internet at home. The only internet access we have is at McDonalds (fun, fun times), the hospital, or when we hang out at Joe's school (College of Southern Idaho). And even then, I am taking tests, submitting assignments, and I rarely have my pictures downloaded. Well, now I do!! So, I am going to be diligently working on updating pictures and posts. They are in chronological order. I am playing while Joe works diligently on his x-ray homework....loving the physics questions he asks me...and expects me to remember....and I am realizing that I am SO GLAD to be done with that....

What's up with the Johnson's:

1. Joe had his first day of class August 30th. He is very excited to start the Radiology program and at the same time is feeling a little overwhelmed with keeping up his grades and working full time. I am so grateful for his willingness to work so hard. He will do great in the program.
2. I have started my LAST and FINAL semester....!?!?! I can't believe it!! 5 long years later, and I am FINALLY coming to an end of my Bachelor degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ultrasound). I have been loving it and the various exams. I would have to say the 2nd trimester OB is my favorite!! I thought that I missed X-Ray so much, but then with doing some xray exams the last couple of months, I realize, and am SO grateful that I feel this way, my passion is in Ultrasound!!
3. Joe is working full time at C3, a calling center for medicare. He just finished his training and is starting on his own tomorrow. It has been a crazy rollercoaster trying to find a job that offers benefits and isn't hard on his body. Since last August, we have both been looking for employment. Needless to say it has been a trying ordeal figuring out how things would work out. Hind sight is a beast, but I guess it has worked out...
4. I am working PRN at North Canyon Medical Center (Gooding, ID) since May. I have enjoyed doing x-ray exams again, but like I said earlier, can't wait to be doing ultrasound too. The one exciting thing about this job is training to do CT. That has been fun, and might prove to be a huge blessing later on.
5. Joe is still the 4th Sunday Elder's Quorum instructor and enjoying reading the conference reports more in debth. I am still the YW's Secretary. I am trying to do a good job....I feel a little lost at times. I need to do better, but am proud to say that I have been doing a monthly newsletter that they haven't had before and I think that has been a success. I am trying to do a blog, so that all of the leaders can post pictures of activities and also updates on upcoming events for the girls and their parents to enjoy. I think it will be a hit.... hopefully!! Any other ideas of what your YW's secretaries do, I would LOVE to hear. I have read a few blogs of what other wards are doing....Feel a little overwhelmed!! There are some amazing leaders out there that sacrifice a lot of time for the young women. What great examples!
6. Our cat, Silky is doing well and acting like queen bee. Joe and I laugh that we are living in HER home, and we are grateful to her for letting us stay there ;0) She is a good cat. We love her and enjoy her, especially when one of us is home alone. 
7. I have been applying for ultrasound jobs in Idaho Falls all the way to Boise. The one in Idaho Falls didn't work out, and so we are crossing our fingers for Boise. Twin Falls is a little bit limited to employment opportunities. There are techs that need more hours and there just aren't enough for what they have, let alone for new job for me, so we have decided to branch out. We are always praying for opportunities to come our way, but if it isn't a good thing for us, to not let it work out. Idaho Falls would have been so great! With a potential to move to full time...but we are comforted to know that we are where we need to be. I do have a fear of not working in ultrasound after I graduate, and that could be disasterous in finding a job later on. It seems that you need to work for awhile in that field before venturing away, and that was the mistake I made with X-Ray. We shall see what happens....As my Grandpa Neibaur is famous for saying, "You need to be flexible or in life, you will get bent out of shape." We are getting more and more flexible each day.