Week's end

I was going to do a weekend recap but I realized I didn't post at all last week!

I made it through my first week at my new job, commuting and all! I haven't even overslept! YAY me! Ha ha I did just forget my purse at my parents though:( They're an hour and a half away! Luckily my sweet Dad is working near my new job and is going to bring it to me! THANK YOU!!! First thought when I realized I forgot my purse! I need food! Oh well I'll get by.

The first day of my new job went well, other than the drive in that is. Really Minnesota you had to make it interesting didn't you? Eight inches of snow, ice and snow packed roads! My head was spinning by the end of the day, between the long drive and learning the ins and outs of my new job. But luckily I remembered everything and the rest of the week went really well! I think that I am going to like it there and so far they seem like a great group of people to work with. No it isn't Mayo and it still makes me a little sad that I had to give that up. I know it will be worth it in the end though, because Echocardiography is not what I want for the rest of my life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll leave you with this funny story that happened during my last week at my old job.

Right after I posted my silly cute picture...... (I thought I had 45 min before I had to leave for work) my coworker texts me

I shold've been to work that day at 7:30. Whoops. It was a memorable last week:)

Hence I am so glad I haven't over slept. Especially because I have an hour and a half commute for the first few weeks. 

Well here's to a Blessed Holy Week and a better memory!;)

Ciao,

Rachel

Spring wish list

Who else is excited about Spring?! 

This gorgeous weather that we are having here in Minnesota is getting me all excited for warmer weather, summer dresses and days in the pool!

Spring fling by nelson-rachelann featuring Kate Spade

Pina Lace dress/Anthropologie Double cloth motorcylce jacket/JCrew Amira Jewelry Klaudie hoops/Anthropologie Gramercy Grand watch/Kate Spade

My spring wish list when I'm a rich figure skating coach!:) Ha ha I LOVE that dress with the biker jacket and the watch is so dang pretty! Can you tell I like gold?! 

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Ciao,

Rachel 

A fond farewell

It's official, I am no longer an employee of the Mayo Clinic. I have left the mother ship HA. On to new adventures.

My last day of work was a good one that I will never forget, becuase we were busy! My co-worker brought me in Starbucks that almost made me cry because she wrote on it "I'll miss you." Like I said I hate goodbyes, believe it or not I only cried once! Because I know that these girls will keep in touch, and I am great at long distance relationships;) I am sad I won't be working with them every day, sharing in their lives, and having so many laughs together. It just won't be the same.

The farewell party was a blast, it couldn't have been better. Delicious food great company lots of laughs and classy drinks:) (Jayne) ha ha we know what the rest of them were....  

I remember when I first started in this lab I got asked "are you like the nerdy type?" "Like do you like The Lord of the Rings?" ha ha ha because I guess that is a class A nerd? I'm thinking oh my gosh they're already stereotyping me! ha ha and YES I like The Lord of the Rings and maybe I am a little nerdy and proud of it!

Another question I got asked when we were all out and stopping for supper was; "Will you eat at Applebee's?" Oh my, these people! ha ha 

It is hard to decide what my favorite memory is of working with them. There are so many, and so many good laughs. I think the best ones can't be shared on here. I will say that my favorite studies were the critical findings cases. I think I had about every one in the book, within my first six months of working. Cardiologist "Are you sure there is a myxoma?" Me "Yes I'm sure there is a gigantic mass in this persons heart!" He still didn't believe me, until he looked at it for himself, and he acted all surprised! Dude I know my sh*t!

There are a few more stories in this post from two years ago. 

Until we meet again.

(In St. Paul:)

Ciao,

Rachel

the Sunday Currently

Reading: Not a whole lot. I am hoping in my next few days off in between jobs, I will read American Sniper. I haven't seen the movie yet because I wanted to read the book first. Has anyone else read it?

Writing: A lot of blog posts lately. It is so good to be back into it. I have missed it. It is a really nice outlet that I have realized helps me process the things that are happening in my life. It helps me to look at my life and see all the beauty that God has put in it. To not always dwell on the things that I want or feel like I should have. 

Thinking: About these past few months since my interview in December. They have been eventful and stressful. I am so glad they are over! And how incredibly fast these past four and a half years have gone by. How does that happen? 

Rejoicing: In my two new jobs! I cannot wait to get started with coaching! My new apartment that is going to be way too cute. 

Hoping: For a productive week. I need to start packing. It will feel to go through all of my stuff and purge some things. That these four days off go by slowly and I can enjoy them and recharge before my new adventures.

Loving: The fun last week I had at work! Thank you to all of my coworkers for such a fun time! 

Needing: Nothing. God is so good. Okay, to skate:) I have had too many emotions lately, skating clears my head. So that is happening Monday!

Anticipating: So many new things on the horizon. Working outside of the Mayo Clinic for the first time, coaching at a full time figure skating club for the first time and living in the city for the first time! DANG I am making it happen this year!!!!!!! I LOVE IT! It's a little scary, mostly just exciting though.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Ciao,

Rachel

Apartment hunting

I got more good news today! I am officially offered a coaching position at a figure skating club! I think my schedule once again is going to be a bit insane for a while. Completely worth it though:) And I found a beautiful place to live! No, it's not the one pictured, we looked at one in that area, unfortunately it was gross.

Oh the excitement and stress of moving, accepting new positions, taking that leap of faith and going for your dreams. It takes a lot out of a person, brings out the best and worst and stirs so many emotions. Saying goodbyes, giving my last lessons to some great students, leaving behind an outstanding Echo lab, where I have learnt and grown so much as a person. They gave me a position when I couldn't find anyone else who would hire me. Maybe it was because my heart wasn't in it, either way I am so grateful they did. I have made some great friends, I have become a more confident person, and I have learnt more than I can write from my patients, co-workers and experiences. I hate goodbyes, I only have one more skating lesson tomorrow morning and two more days at my first, real big girl job. WOW those four and a half years flew by. 

Cherish what you have, and those who are in your life because you never know when it will be gone. Life changes quickly even though at times, I felt it wasn't changing fast enough.

The happy things

~ I am going to live in downtown St. Paul! I have always wanted to live in the city, even for a year. It's time to make it happen. And it will be happening in exactly one month. Holy crap! I can't wait to share pictures of this beautiful space and building. 

~ I am somehow, going to coach more and give more of my time to a craft that I love. I will make it happen.

~ I am getting out of Mankato!

~ I will be living within walking distance of the Cathedral and Cathedral Hill

~ Walking/biking distance to work

~ Meeting new people

~  Enjoying a fresh start

Ciao,

Rachel

Learning curve of accepting a new position

Some things that I have learnt through this process of finding and accepting a new position.

~ Always be honest and upfront.

~ Do what is best for you, don't let a new employer bully you.

This is why I was forced to accept the first position I was offered. The employer said to me "Her name is mud (the lady who backed out on them), I don't want that to happen to you." "You either have to accept this offer or I am going to offer this position to someone else." So obviously I accepted the position and kept my other interview. Because I am thinking he probably doesn't have anyone else to offer it to, and he actually thinks I'm that ignorant. 

~ Stick up for what you want and don't let people push you around. 

Especially now that I know what I want I am not as easily pushed around. I want to be a full-time figure skating coach and I am going to do whatever it takes to get there. I am going to be much more assertive to make sure I get what I need. Because no one else is going to do it for me.  

~ Ask the questions that are deciding factors as to what position you want. 

Then, get the answers in writing before you accept the position! Like I've said before, words are unfortunately pretty meaningless. 

Ciao,

Rachel

Big changes

Oh how I dislike spring forward. Ugh I want my hour back! Even with the hour less sleep I am so grateful for this relaxing fun weekend.

____________________________

I have been writing a lot about Being open to the possibilities and trusting in God. I feel like I have been hoping and praying for God to lead me in the right direction for quite a long time now. I have never felt completely settled here in Mankato doing Echocardiography. Do you remember this post back in September? When I said I was afraid to say it, but I had a feeling that my life was going to be changing soon. Well it's happening and I can hardly believe it. At the time when I wrote that, I honestly thought it was a possible move to a cabin on a lake, and our Echocardiography lab was getting a new Cardiologist. Little did I know that God was already preparing me mentally for a much bigger change. One that I have been hoping and praying for, for a long time!

I will be moving to the St. Paul area doing my Echocardiography part time and coaching figure skating MORE! I am so so excited! I am not sure how it is all going to shake out with being able to coach more and how my schedules will blend. All I know is that it will work out. God has a plan.

I am finally getting out of this town! WAHOO!!!!

Here is a quick view of what my past few months have been.

I had my first interview up in the cities the Monday before Christmas. I Waited five weeks just to hear that they gave the position to someone else. Then a week later I received a call that the lady they offered the position to backed out, and now I can have the position. I had to tell them that I couldn't accept or decline, because I had another interview the next week. Holy crap! In the end I was forced to accept the first position and I kept the second interview. I was offered the second job the next day after my interview. Thank you God because I couldn't handle any more suspense, for crying out loud! I had two job offers and went with the second one. It all sounds so simple when I write it out. But over the course of two and a half months I felt like I was living in suspense! It was agonizing! One of my coworkers asked "How do you sleep at night?" Ha ha

While all of this was going on I was also in contact with a figure skating club that my coach put me in touch with. Because what was the point of interviewing for Echo jobs if I didn't have a coaching job lined up? This club sounded like they were basically ready to approve me to start coaching right away. So to say that I was disappointed when I found out that I didn't get that first job right away, was an understatement. Although I am not for sure on what club I will be coaching at yet, I know it will fall into place. I am finally meeting with that particular club this week:)!  

It feels so good to have a goal again, and to be following my heart not my practical head! Yeah echo is a consistent good paying reliable job, it's as boring as rocks some days though, and not challenging enough.

I am starting my final week of being an employee at the Mayo Clinic Health System Mankato. This is a strange thought, I have been a part of Mayo since 2008 when I started school. It can't be, and yet I can't wait to be done. I can't handle all of these emotions! It's too much, I hate goodbyes.

Ciao,

Rachel

When life gets you down

What do you do when life gets you down?

Here's what I do

Mostly power through, cry.....cry some more and come back stronger with a new perspective on life! Try to blame it on someone else or something else and quickly realize that is pathetic. I am my own worst enemy, blaming is a cop out from learning what God is trying to teach me. Give it to God as many times as I have to. Because, I'm human I think for some reason I should take it on myself and figure it all out. HA I don't have a clue! 

I also skate my heart out, and let my emotions come out through my skating. It's the greatest feeling every! When I can't skate which is not often enough, I run.

Life is finally changing and I couldn't be happier about it!:) More to come.

Ciao,

Rachel