1 Down, 73 to Go!

Today I feel loved and supported.

I was a little bit anxious when I went to bed last night.  I think half of my anxiety was related to first-day jitters, while the other half was just concern that I would sleep through my 5 a.m. alarm this morning.  Lucky for me, Lilly took it upon herself to make sure I was awake by knocking a glass of water onto my head at 4 a.m.

She's so helpful.

I had a relatively slow and quiet morning.  I had laid out my outfit and packed my bag last night so I wouldn't have to think about it and feel rushed this morning.  WHile I was getting ready Bruce brewed a fresh pot of coffee.  I was ready to go at five minutes to seven and headed down to my car.  Bruce was so sweet and agreed to come down to my car and take my picture so I would have a Wear a Dress Tuesday picture.

Those flats may have been the best $12 I have ever spent.

I was concerned about the traffic, but it actually wasn't too terrible.  I was at the hospital and parked by 7:15.

From then on, I essentially sat in an uncomfortable seat in an old auditorium watching videos, listening to presentations, taking quizzes on both, filling out paperwork and signing my life away.  Today was the official Grady New Hire Orientation so we were with a variety of different employees.  Tomorrow is my departmental orientation so I will be spending time solely with the other chaplains.  I'm sure I will have some more nerves as I'm actually getting into the nitty gritty (and not just the corporate side of things).

My Initial Thoughts on CPE

- I really like the other chaplain interns.  There are five of us in total, three males and two females.  So far we mesh well - no one seems overly talkative or quiet when we are together as a group.  We all seem to have similar levels of experience and I feel comfortable when we are in conversation with one another.

- I'm getting used to the Grady Health System campus.  I don't necessarily know my way around completely (and I actually missed my turn coming home and drove around for ten minutes until I found another highway entrance), but I think if I were lost I could find my way back to a familiar place.

- When I left for college, my parents gave me a journal.  They both wrote notes on the inside cover.  My dad wrote, "No experience is ever a waste of time."  I know I have so much to gain from this experience - and I have a feeling so much of what I will learned I might not even realized until years down the road.

- My last day of the program is August 13th.  It is 11 weeks long, 74 days (that's total days until August 13th, including weekends and recovery days from nights on call).  1 down, 73 to go.  If all else fails and I get completely overwhelmed this summer, I can just watch that number go down.  I'm really hoping that doesn't happen, though!

- It's going to take me a couple of weeks to get used to my new schedule.  I won't be connected to my computer all day like I have been for the past three years.  However, I don't have to go home and do homework like I have been for the past three years, either.  I'm looking forward to seeing how I organize my time now.  I'm hoping to continue to learn my way around my kitchen, play with my camera some more and organize this blog of mine!

I think that's it for now!  I survived my first day and I haven't been completely scared off yet.  Thank you to everyone for the calls, texts and messages wishing me luck last night and this morning.  Every time my phone buzzed I just felt completely surrounded by love and support (love and support totally trumps nerves and anxiety).  I can do this - I know I can!

Here's to another strong 73 days!

p.s. Send me your WADT pics!  I'll post any pictures I get either tomorrow or Thursday!




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