Long overdue update

We're still alive :) I am amazed by how fast time goes. It is scary. My last post was April 1st which seems like it was just a few weeks ago, but it was over 2 months ago. We are well into Summer already and so far so good, well most days anyway! It isn't too bad with Matthew home. Him and Luke are attached to each other so I know that Luke is glad that Matthew is out of school. Matthew finished out Pre K4 and did fairly well. He will be going into Kindergarten next year. So far I am still very happy with his small private school that he is in. I think it is good for him. Next year he will be in the "learning lab" so I will be eager to see how that works out for him. Basically it just means he will be pulled out of class a couple times a week for extra help. Matthew did have a recent visit with Dr. Mauk at the Child Study Center and it is definitely looking like he will have some sort of "language based learning disability." She wants him to get a full evaluation in about 6 months. I've known all along that something wasn't quite right. I will try my best to not let it define him. I just know that we will have a long road ahead of us in regards to school/academics. At least it is a lot more recognized today than it was when I was growing up. These kids have a lot more support so his future remains bright :) We did put Matthew in Tae Kwon Do which is going very well. The place we found is perfect for Matthew. He is really enjoying it!

Well work has slowed down recently which is not good. The hospital didn't renew their contract with Amerigroup (a type of Medicaid) and the reality is most pregnant Mom's having babies are under Medicaid so this does impact our census, but Amerigroup is only 1 kind of Medicaid so we are still accepting all the other types. In the last couple of weeks our census has gotten much better, but the big problem is that we have overhired. We have too many full time nurses and most of them are on days so we really need to have a census in the mid to upper 20's to utilize all of our staff. It is frustrating, but not much I can do about it at this point. The problem for me it that PRN and then PT staff is cancelled before FT staff. I have only been cancelled twice so far so I am okay at this point, but the future is uncertain. The hospital will likely renew with Amerigroup in about 6 months, but that doesn't help the situation currently. I have started job searching. I did tell myself that when Joshy hits a year that I would start looking. I think I am ready to move to a larger NICU that does surgery and has subspecialty support so that means a Children's hospital or a high risk referral center like Harris Ft. Worth. Harris Ft. Worth has a PT night position open that I have applied to and had a phone interview that seemed to go well, but a couple of days later the PT job posting was gone, but now it is listed again and I am waiting to hear from the recruiter. I would really LOVE to work for Harris. They have an awesome NICU. It would be 3 times the size of the NICU I am currently in and they do surgery and have subspecialty support. All there babies go to Cooks for sugery and come right back to Harris. Cooks is connected to Harris. Pretty cool huh? I really have my heart set on Harris so I hope I am not disappointed. We shall see. I am definitely ready to rejuvinate my passion for NICU nursing.

Luke is doing great although he is 2 and he definitely is acting 2 at times. His favorite word is "nooooooo." Otherwise he is still such a cutie and such a sweet boy.

Joshy is doing great as well. 9 months old already and he is crawling and pulling up. I am starting to hear some babbling as well. He is such a cutie and loves his brothers.

We are going to the beach in August. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!! It has been so long since I have taken a real vacation. All of us are going and I can't wait for the boys to see the beach. Looks like we will be going to Gulf Shores, Alabama. We will be getting a beach front condo for a week. So excited.

Can't think of much else at this point. I will post some pics in the next post.

Blessings!

Betsey