first week

This was my first week at the new job, and I just have to say that I am thrilled to be in this environment! The health system I'm working for is wonderful, with great benefits and mission, vision & values that I really want to strive for as a practitioner. The department I work in is amazing and welcoming. I know that I will learn tremendous amounts from clinicians that I work with in every discipline. I am also very thankful to have my caseload gradually built up, instead of walking into a completely full schedule. So many things about this new environment just have me excited and actually looking forward to go to work in the morning.
My summer adventures of recent have included heading to the farmers market in Old Colorado City a couple of times, hiking in North Cheyenne Canyon park & Waldo Canyon and meeting up with friends. Last night I went down to the drive-in movies in Pueblo, which was really fun! We used to go pretty frequently at Spring Canyon to the drive-in that played movies a couple times a month in Buena Vista, so it brought back many memories.
On a different note, I've continued to struggle with finding a "niche" for lack of a better term. I feel like I'm still on the edge of a lot of different groups, trying to make friends. I really want to find a true heart friend that I can be open, genuine with and simply live life together. God's asked me to give up some pretty tough things recently, which have been tremendously difficult. As my friend, Nicole, reminded me, "The problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the alter." I feel like no matter how many times I give these difficult things to the Lord, something reminds me of them and I have to drag myself back onto the altar all over again! Please keep all of this in your prayers. I really need the support of friends right now, and am so thankful for all of you.

summer adventures

Here are some pictures of my summer adventures in the past week and a half. I completely forgot to take pictures at the 4th of July brunch, so you will just have to envision the general splendor and the mouth-watering aroma of blueberry french toast casserole & quiche.

First up, time spent with my aunt & uncle in Breckenridge. I invited myself to spend some time with them at their timeshare. We ended up doing a hike on the side of Mt. Quandary that leads up to Sapphire Lake Falls, which are in some of the pictures below.

Majestic Mt. Quandary

My aunt Linda & me on the trail

Sapphire Lake Falls!

Right before we left to head back down. Such beautiful falls!

The next adventure was a 14er. For those not Colorado or mountain savvy, a 14er is a mountain that is 14,000 feet or over. There are quite a few in the state of Colorado, and before this one I had done two: Mt. Yale & Mt. Columbia. Eva & I decided to shoot for a third one last Friday: Mt. Belford. We had high hopes of doing Mt. Oxford in the same trip, but we had a late start and didn't summit until early afternoon. Therefore, we just did Mt. Belford. We also stopped in Buena Vista on the way back at Bongo Billy's - what wonderful memories of going down there for a change of scenary from camp!

Eva crossed this standing up. I scooted across on my bum.

Start of killer switchbacks. My body was screaming, "You haven't done this since you were 20. What are you thinking!"

Eva made it to the summit block, took pictures, and then came back down to get me. So I guess she technically summited twice?

After much heavy breathing, pain, nausea and about giving up, I made it! Mt. Oxford is behind me. So close, yet so far away!

Eva & me at the summit. We snapped this shot quickly and then scrambled off the top because it was really windy.

Today's adventure took Nicole & me to North Cheyenne park. We hiked on the Seven Bridges Trail and promptly lost count of how many bridges we passed. We did see some pretty rapids, which managed to not make it into this picture. We also sat on a rock by the stream to eat lunch, which was fun! I'm so glad that Nicole & I can go do things like this during the week! Classic Nicole & Natasha moment: Nicole drove across town to see if I was home to get her cell phone out of my backpack. I was in the shower and had accidentally left the upstairs door unlocked. Nicole proceeds to bang really hard on the door, yell my name, and then come in and here the shower. She then stands outside again for a few minutes and comes back inside stomping around to try not to scare me. Needless to say, the phone was in the backpack and Nicole got it back!

new job!

I know what you're thinking: "Seriously? Didn't you just start this job in June?" That's right, and now I'm switching jobs! My first work environment ended up not being the best fit for me as a new graduate. I was one of 4 PTs, and 2 of us were new grads. The owner decided to take vacation during our first month, leaving 2 new grads with 1 part-time experienced PT. The for-profit clinic setting was also not one that I particularly loved, as they tried to get a lot of kids through each day. So, long story shortened, the job that I had heard about in February and originally wanted finally opened. The rehab manager emailed me about whether I was still interested, so I applied, interviewed, and loved it! I will be on a staff with about a dozen other PTs, so lots of people to ask questions to, and I'm assigned a mentor and given 1 hour each week to meet with her. The mentoring piece was actually the big kicker for me, and what I was hoping to get in the other job. My previous boss was not very nice to me when I turned in my resignation on Friday, and Monday, at 5:45pm, I was notified that it was my last day. How nice, right? I'm just so glad that I'm moving on to a better environment. I'll be working at a non-profit hospital in Colorado Springs in their outpatient pediatric rehab. I will also get to wear scrubs to work! (They do have to be hunter green, but that's a minor inconvenience!)
Since I don't have to work until July 20th, I took a day and a half to spend time in Breckenridge with my aunt & uncle at their timeshare. It was so fun! Nothing like waking up in the morning & going outside to views of Mt. Quandary! We did some hiking in the area, and I'll post pictures soon, along with whatever adventure Eva and I have tomorrow hiking 14ers. Other big news: I finally have my PT license for the state of Colorado! It only took seemingly forever, but now I'm official & licensed! Time to celebrate!