Rested and Relaxed at last!

Oh my goodness!!!!! I don't think I've ever been as tired as I was coming off service last month! I think I nearly had a melt down! However, I had the first week of October totally off and I enjoyed every SECOND of it! Waking up as late as I wanted (which still was around 9AM, but 4 hrs later than usual :-), lounging around all day, doing normal things like getting nails done and grocery shopping, watching Food Network and doing laundry, exercising, reading a novel, and just generally decompressing. I don't think anything could possibly feel as good as rest and free time after working super hard...it's the best feeling in the world. It's also such a great way to put thing in perspective too. I REALLY enjoyed my week off, but after 7 days of loafing, I realize that I couldn't do this for more than a week or two. It would stop being fun and just be boring and tedious. I'm really excited and ready for my ER shift tonight! I LOVE the ER!! Most of my shifts are afternoon/evening, so I'll still have my days free which will be wonderful too. I love my job :-)
Jonathan is at the tail end of his surgery rotation. He is working SO HARD! He gets up everyday at 4AM and then gets home around 7PM....poor thing! I've been taking him lunch and snacks so that he stays nourished and hydrated. I'm so proud of him though. He's handled it really well and actually hasn't seemed overly tired. He hasn't had any caffeine the whole month!!! Amazing!! Also he's gotten to see lots of cool surgeries...AAA repairs, amputations (he IS at the VA after all), kidney transplant, etc. Next month is going to be a lot of fun for him. He's set up an elective at a private practice Hematology-Oncology Clinic in town. It will be a great experience to see what life would be like as a private Heme/onc physician and if that's really the specialty he wants to pursue. I'm so proud of him :-)
The Shih Tzus are doing wonderfully. They really like me being home more. Pippi Amanda has developed a bad habit though. All the dogs occasionally have little "asthma attacks" during which they wheeze and look pitiful. Pippi Amanda (or Peppy Jennifer as one of Jonathan's friends now calls her), has learned to simulate this behavior for secondary gain! She loves to be petted and coddled and knows that his is a good way to get it. What a little imp!
Again, we love our family and hope you will all have a good month!