Well, we are working folk down here. I have orientation every day this week, and I start my 12 hour shifts on the floor next week. I must say Duke should probably win an award for motivational speakers. They really make you feel like they are happy you “joined their team” (as they say) even though they have 33,000 employees! I do hope to make some sort of an impact, and I really am looking at this job as an opportunity to learn and minister to others . . .

Everything has been smooth sailing, and I’ve been loving what they have to offer. . . . except the parking. I bought my parking pass yesterday ($30/month!!) only to find out today that it is quite possibly the farthest lot away from the hospital! So, my travel time is 40 minutes and I leave early to give myself a little over an hour to get there, park and whatever (like be early or something!). I find the lot finally . . . only 2 wrong turns. . . and try to catch a transit (they offer buses from various points along your journey – it really is a journey). Well, they didn’t care to include a tour or this part about parking/transits in the orientation so I was on my own. Let’s just say I took off booking it (walking really really fast) but everytime a transit came I wasn’t at a bus stop so they wouldn’t pick me up. Then, when I got to a bus stop they were nowhere to be found! WHAT ARE THE ODDS? Well, I walked for 40 minutes, got completely lost and just stopped at the nearest bus stop and the kind driver helped me out. Needless to say, I spent a great deal of extra time before I came home today figuring out the best way to my parking lot and the transit times and locations!!

Other than that. . . I am loving Duke! I’m not loving the getting up at 5 am and missing my family all day though. David is doing a great job with Colt though – he’s always fed, clean, and happy when I get home. I’ve been leaving enough milk for Colt during the day and he’s been using his sippy cup (he still won’t take a bottle). . . so that’s a big improvement and helps make it a little easier for me to leave him. I had the past 8 months with him and am thankful for that. He’s getting his 3rd tooth (a top one is halfway in), and he’s pulling up and crawling like a mad man!! It must have been those few days with cousin Sarah that motivated him 2 weekends ago or something. He’s really enjoying reading books too. He will sit in the chair with me and read as long I can stand to. . . of course when I get home I devote all my time to playing, reading, and making him laugh AND loving my hubby, cooking, cleaning and going through mail/papers and various other things (blogging hasn’t been on the top as you see). Enjoy the pics!

He’s cracking me up wearing his dress shirt with his pajama bottoms. . . looks like something Gramps might do?!