I am sure you're still wondering how it is that I got here, in this new town working for the fire service when that was not my original plan. Well, it actually started back in August of 2013 when my husband and I went on a canoe trip to the boundary waters in northern Minnesota. The trip was our "last hurrah" before I started paramedic school. We knew our schedules and finances probably wouldn't allow us to take many trips once I started so we went to the wilderness for a few days before school for the kids and me was in full swing. The trip was awesome, and I will write more about our love for camping and the outdoors in the future, but on our way home we came through a town not too far from where we were living. My husband said on our way through the area that he had always thought it would be fun to live there. He said there were several lakes to fish in and a lot of pretty country. I understood what he meant and I liked the town too.
In the next few weeks I started school. What a whirlwind of a year! I had no idea I could learn so much in such a small amount of time. To say that the program was intense is probably an understatement, but I really don't know what word does it justice. Now, if you've been involved in an intense program you know that it changes you. A person either breaks or gets stronger when they go through something that stretches them. Thanks to God and the support of my family and friends, I didn't break. I never could have done it on my own-that is for certain. There were times when I left my ride along site at 0400 so I could make it back to class on time. I even slept in a sleeping bag in the back of my van-in the hospital parking lot one night because I needed to see baby deliveries and the OB nurses told me no one was delivering and I should get some sleep but stay close in case someone comes in ready to go. It was definitely an adventure, but I guess it prepared me for the lack of sleep that sometimes comes with the job. That was part of my training and I didn't even know it at the time.
Eventually, though it came to an end and it was time to find a job. I sent my resume out to a few places, and even had one offer. I didn't want to move away from the town and the people I had known as home for the past 7 years, and many places require that you live close. Again, there was the reservation, and that was still on my radar, but I had discovered my passion for fire during my internship and really wanted to pursue that. Then one day my teacher posted a link on our class Facebook site that said that nice town my husband said he'd like to live in was looking for firefighter/paramedics. Of course when I told him that he said, "well you'd BETTER be applying for that!!!" So I printed my resume, filled out the application, and took the exam required to be considered.
After one interview, they called me for a second!! I was so excited I could barely contain myself. I was in lab preparing for my national registry practicals when they called. There were nervous people pacing the floors because our big exam was coming up, and even though I was nervous for them too, I couldn't stop smiling. Of course though, I tried not to get too excited. After all, I had no guarantee of a job, just a second interview. What was I going to do? I was still considering the other job I was offered, but I knew that my husband would be so happy if he got to move to the angler's paradise this area is. I never could have predicted, though what would actually happen the day of that second interview.
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