ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅ - iqqanaijariaqtuq - she goes to work

Yesterday was a good day. Today is even better! Today I will get my letter of hire which will allow me to start work at the Qikiqtani General Hospital. I will be working with medical, surgical and pediatric patients. The Inpatient Unit also has two intensive care beds and six obstetric beds. I won't be working with these patients as I probably won't be in Iqaluit long enough to be trained in these areas, unfortunately. But, that could very well change! For now, I think I'll have my hands full with med, surg and peds. My nursing experience thus far is in adult general surgery. I used to worked on a high acuity general surgery unit which focused on breast, abdominal and thyroid surgery. I learned so much on 5 West about time management, stress management, handling life threatening situations, team work, wound vacs, pain management, ostomies, post operative care, sleep management, how to be a teacher and how to be charge nurse. My time there has shaped me into the nurse that I am today and I am so thankful for that! What my time there didn't teach me was how to speak Inuktitut, how to nurse kids and how to nurse in a northern hospital. I am a bit nervous about starting at this hospital because I know there is TONS that I have to learn. I expect to be severely humbled and that I will feel like I know nothing. But I am extremely excited for the challenge and what I will learn as a result of my time here. Growth means change, and change involves risk, stepping from the known into the unknown. In my life experience, it has never been a bad thing to take a risk and try something new. It is rarely easy, but it is always valuable and beneficial. 

This past weekend it has been settling into my mind that we live on Baffin Island. On the far eastern edge of Canada. Next to Greenland. When I first got here, I would look around at the ice and snow and just giggle at the fact that I live here. This is home, now. It is funny where life takes you. And yet, Josh and I wouldn't have it any different. We have been able to clearly see the Lord's hand in leading us to Iqaluit. And we feel peace about being here. Jeremiah 29:11-14 talks about God's control over our lives and how He wants to be involved with them; "¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you."

This is a promise that I really hung on to when I was away from Josh, waiting in Edmonton. To trust that God had a plan, no matter how much I disliked being away from my husband, forced me to rest in God's faithfulness and trust Him. Once I started to do these things, I realized that trusting God for my future by seeking His will in my life leads to gladness, joy and rest. And He wants to do this for you, as well.

Rely - daily giving my concerns, worries, fears to God 
Exalt - praising God and showing my thanks for His faithfulness 
Surrender - the act of letting go of my plans and wants to follow Him
Trust - believing that God is in control, and is good and that He loves me

So, while it can be difficult to be away from Edmonton...especially when awesome things like Ashley having a baby, family gatherings and our dog being cute, happen...Josh and I REST in the truth that God has us in Iqaluit for a purpose. And rather than being homesick, we are embracing that and enjoying our time here. 

Feels like we live in outer space

First real dog sled I have seen

A guy kite snowboarding on the frozen ocean

Airport sunset