This book was on our required textbook list for Winter Quarter, and since it isn't a textbook at all I figured it was reasonable to assume that at some point we would be required to read it and possibly write some sort of book report. Who knows how much time I will have to spend a leisurely afternoon reading, so I decided to go ahead and get it out of the way before the quarter starts.

One funny thing about me: I love to read until a book becomes assigned reading. I'm betting if I had found this book on my own I would be tucked into the papasan chair reading while my children destroyed the house around me. Once I am required to read something... it's suddenly much less appealing. As such, I am two pages in to the second chapter.

Is anyone reading anything interesting over the holidays? I have a fun book to reward myself with as soon as I finish this. I'll be sure to let you know my thoughts when I finish.

Yesterday was one of those days where very little went as planned. Originally on the schedule was Santa pictures in the morning, followed by a nap, Christmas crafts with the kids. Concluding the evening with a drive with my best friend and our children, sipping hot cocoa and looking at Christmas lights.

Instead, after doing Santa pictures with the kids I went in to check on the elderly family member we are caring for. I intended to get her all tucked in for a nap and then head in to lay down for awhile myself. When I got to her room, I found that she was not well. I knew right away that we were heading to the hospital, but called her home health care nurse anyway. She also wanted us to seek medical care. It was decided that she was feeling poorly enough that transporting her in one of our vehicles would be very uncomfortable, and possibly dangerous, so we called for an ambulance transport. And then I called to cancel our evening plans.

I have come to the point that I generally don't mention my pending nursing school, preferring instead to be a 'commoner', but my medical speak that is so second nature gave me away. The medics that came to transport us to the hospital took down my quick report and in the next quiet moment asked if I had medical training. We explained that we were both accepted into the nursing program, and that my husband had worked for this very ambulance company previously. They were thrilled that I had her current medications all laid out for them to easily copy down and we were ready to go in just a few short minutes.

I opted to ride with my father instead of in the ambulance and we followed them in. When the ambulance pulled to the side of the road with it's flashers on I watched for a moment and then let my worried father know that since the driver wasn't leaving the drivers seat to assist in the back it was likely that they were just pulled over while the medic placed an IV line. Better to place them while the rig is still if you have the luxury.

Thankfully, our hospital stay was short... she was discharged again 8 hours later. And, as we could not have given the required treatment at home, it was a necessary visit. I feel good about making the call to transport, we didn't waste their time with something that could have been handled elsewhere and we didn't wait too long and thus prolong her stay.

I was impressed with the level of compassion and care we received. It was obvious that there were many patients to be seen, and yet the time we spent with doctors, nurses and techs didn't feel rushed. The nurse was very surprised when I offered to glove up and help her get the patient cleaned up and ready to go home.

I couldn't help but feel caught in limbo while I was there. I've not yet received any nursing training so I'm not one of them... but I know more than the normal family member in the ER with a patient. Also, although it would seem like being with a patient in the hospital would be easy, I came home exhausted and with one of the worst headaches of my life. Just another experience to carry with me as I learn to be a compassionate nurse not just for my patients, but also for those with them.

We went to get santa pictures taken of the kids today. After waiting in line for just over an hour, and being told that the estimated wait was another 3 hours we decided to call it a day. I'm going back with them in the morning, planning to arrive an hour before the pictures start in order to get a good place in line. Yeah, we'll still be sitting there for an hour, but hopefully we can just sit and wait instead of taking a step forward every five minutes.

We could go somewhere else, but this place does a really great job... and they are free! The free part makes the wait almost worth it, especially since the local mall charges $25 now. I had hoped to pic up one of the required reading books for one of my classes, but after visiting with family all afternoon we had a nice quiet evening. I guess I'll be reading for fun while waiting in line instead... and having coffee!

I think we finished our Christmas shopping in record time this year! We didn't start until last Saturday, and Friday morning we finished! It's nice to have it done and out of the way before the kids were out of school for winter break. I've got a bunch of wrapping to do, but I really don't mind.

Just a couple more weeks and we'll be in nursing school!

Anyone who has spent any considerable amount of time with me has always made the comment that once I'm out of nursing school I should write a book about all of my adventures and challenges along the way. While I highly doubt I will ever write a book, I am going to make a better effort to share those stories here.

Since buying my new vehicle this fall (new to me, not new in years)there have been a few incidents that have led to this being my first vehicle ever to have a name. Her name is "Christine." Yes, because of the movie. I may or may not share the earlier stories of Christine another day. Today, I am sharing my adventure from yesterday.

As I left my final review yesterday I thought to myself how the cold weather seemed to have made the parking lot unusually quiet. Like everyone was so cold that they were no longer interested in standing out by their cars talking; instead, preferring to rush into the warm building. Class had let out early and I was trying to think if there were any errands I wanted to run before picking my youngest up from the babysitter.

The day before, the battery had died on my wireless entry remote, and so I was having to use the key in the lock on the door to unlock my truck. I put the key in the lock and turned it. However, when I opened the door I received a not welcome surprise. Somehow the security system had been activated. I jumped as the horn started blaring, the lights started flashing, my windshield wipers were flapping across the windshield (front and back) and as if this all wasn't enough, my truck was spraying washer fluid everywhere. I tossed my bag into the truck and pressed the panic button on the remote. I've accidentally hit this button before, though never with such boisterous results. The panic button was doing nothing, which made sense considering the batteries were dead. I tried pulling the remote apart to get to the battery in hopes that pulling them out and putting them back in might give just enough charge to activate the panic button just once. No luck. By now I've thrown my gloves off and into the truck... maybe my gloved fingers just weren't pushing the buttons hard enough?

I closed the door, and used the key to lock it again. Horn still blasting away. I unlocked the door again and put the key in the ignition. the engine fired to life... and then shut itself off. The security guard slowly drives past me, looking as though curious about what is going on, but doesn't even roll down his window. I whip out my cell phone and try to call my husband. He's on campus, but in class and doesn't answer his phone in class. I hang up and call him again. Maybe if I call a couple times he will realize something is going on and will come to my rescue. Still no answer. I try the ignition again, tears are welling up in my eyes now. Again, the truck starts and then shuts itself off. Nothing has made the horn stop blaring. I take a step back and evaluate the situation. I seriously consider locking the doors and walking away like nothing is happening. But, who will get the kids? The security guard drives past my truck again, still not willing to step outside his warm vahicle to see what is going on. I don't know which class room my husband is in so I can't just go pull him out of class.

I put the key back in the ignition again, but stop myself from actually turning the key... I know that after a certain number of attempts the vehicle will lock itself up and require a tow to the dealership to get it back on the road. Defeated, I called my dad.

"Um, dad? I'm having a bit of a situation?" As if he didn't know something was up by the sounds of my horn coming through his cell phone. I quickly told him my story followed with, "And I don't know what else to do!" This is where the big perks of a father working at a major dealership which is also the manufacturer for your vehicle comes in. He hollered out into the shop for the master mechanic, told him his daughter was having trouble and gave him the cell phone (I'm betting partly just to get the sound of the horn out of his ear). I again explained the situation. The wonderful mechanic instructed me to unlock the passenger door with the key. I head around to the other side of the vehicle. Place my key in the lock. Turn it. And...

Silence!

Finally!

It was explained to me that some vehicles are having a tough time with the cold weather and the sensors in the doors are getting frozen. My truck thought I was trying to steal it. Apparently Christine is not impressed with the cold weather.

After a huge sigh of relief, I climbed into the truck, turned the engine and thanked Christine for not turning herself off again. In my rear view mirror I watched the security guard drive past my truck one more time. As I placed the truck into reverse i heard the familiar bing that means I have a message on the dash. "Low Washer Fluid". Of course. I glance at the clock and see that only 8 minutes have elapsed... I assure you it felt much longer.

Today I took all my valuable belongings in to the building with me and risked someone getting into my vehicle. I was not locking the doors again and inviting a repeat performance!

Less than a month until classes start! It all still feels very unreal. Well, except for the part where our babysitting just backed out. That feels very real, and sends me into a bit of a panic. I don't know what we are going to do. It isn't easy to find someone to take care of three children for the hours of this particular program. I guess we just keep looking and holding with the thought that everything will work out.

At this point I can't help but feel very sorry for my children. They didn't ask to be put in this situation, and their lives are about to change in ways they never could have anticipated. They have never had to get up for school extra early and then been dropped off at childcare. And, Thursday nights they will likely not see us at all for the next 18 months. This is going to be really tough.

It feels like we are living in some sort of alternate universe. I am both stressed about getting everything done on time and feeling like the start of the program is so very far away.

There are still many things left to do on the to-do list. Honestly, the timing couldn't be worse. It's nearly December and Christmas is staring us down and the money is stretched so tight that it causes me to lay awake at night trying to calm anxiety. Is there enough money to do both a small Christmas and get all our supplies we need for the start of the program? If I wait until January will they have scrubs in stock in my required colors and fit? What about a stethoscope? Can I buy one locally or do I need to order one? Don't forget a watch... I must have a watch, and I keep forgetting it on my to-buy list. If I could feel like I had anything under control maybe it all wouldn't feel so overwhelming. We don't know our schedule for our classes/lab/clinicals yet and likely wont until the day after classes start. This makes lining up people to care for our children difficult.

Inhale. Exhale.

It will all fall into place. It has to.

Somehow, I anticipated having time to kick back and relax from the time I found out I was accepted until I started the program in January. This is not to be the case. There is just so much to try to do, and it seems like more is being added all the time.

I am currently working on my 7 hour HIV training as well as my HIPPA training. Next Monday I will be having my doctor fill out a form stating that I am mentally and physically able to participate in nursing school. Also, papers talking about my vaccination status. I have to turn those in, along with a copy of my insurance card. Still to do, CPR for the health care professional, background check, and drug testing.

We are having a meet and greet this Friday, and I am so excited to get to see my classmates! I am really hoping that we will be a very close knit group and enjoy each others company.

Also, although I don't feel the need to stress over 4.0's for this last quarter before starting the program... I can't just forget about my classes I'm currently enrolled in. Sociology the second time around is no more fun....

We received our letters of acceptance in the mail this weekend, as well as a long check list of tasks to complete before the end of November. Which was a little surprising since I thought we had until the start of the program to complete them. That's ok, just gotta come up with the money to get all this done.

The next 4 weeks will be spent getting our criminal background checks done, a health assessment performed by our physician, verification of all vaccines, CPR for the health care professional, 7 hours of HIV training, HIPPA training, and proof of medical insurance. I think that's everything.

I was planning to take the CPR course after finishing my finals in early December, so I'll have to move that date up. No biggie I guess.

I'm also on the look out for some good reference books to have before classes start. I'll welcome any and all suggestions.

Short story: I'm in! So is my hubby!

Long Story: We were told at the interview that we would be receiving word on Friday letting us know if we were accepted into the program or not. I set mind to going into the office around noon and learning my fate. Thursday after my math class I stopped into the biology department to check in with my boss. Not something I do every day, or even most days. I was shocked when she told me that the program receptionist had told her that one of the program advisers was making calls to notify people of their acceptance. I'm not kidding, the air left my lungs, my knees went a bit weak and I thought I might vomit. I think I managed to squeak, "But it's Thursday! I was supposed to have until Friday!" I headed out to my truck and tried to call Mike to let him know. No answer. I sent him a text instead. Next I called the caregiver at home with my grandma. Sometimes caregivers answer the house phone, sometimes they didn't. I wanted to know if she had taken a call from the school. Her answer left me with no further answers... there had been no calls. Oh no, that's bad. They didn't call.. I'm not in. But wait, they should have at least called for Mike, I'm sure he got in. Maybe they haven't gotten to us yet....

Usually I just head straight to the kids school and read for a few minutes until they are let out for the day. I deliberated between stopping in at home for 10 minutes or just sticking my head in the sand and going to the kids school as normal. At the last moment I decided to stop in to the house. It couldn't hurt anything.

I was chatting with the caregiver telling her what little information I had when the phone rang. I'm sure from the outside it was a funny picture. I almost answered the phone and then backed away saying, maybe I'll just let voice mail get it and call back later... or go in tomorrow. The caregiver pushed past me and picked up the phone. It was someone from the nursing department for me. Of course it was.

It sounds totally cheesy, but it was one of those moments where I was painfully aware that my life was on the pivot point, and in a few seconds nothing would be the same. I took the phone. "Crystal?" "Yes, this is Crystal." "Oh good, I almost thought you weren't there. I wanted to congratulate you on making it into the nursing program!" There was lots more blah blah blah from her end, there will be a formal letter sent and some other paperwork to fill out. But, at that moment all I could hear was blood rushing past my eardrums. I thanked her and hung up the phone. I made it! I simultaneously wanted to burst out of my skin in excitement and was scared to death.

On a much shorter note... the tutoring center where Mike works does not receive good cell signal. On his way home he found a voice mail telling him to call the nursing department at his earliest convenience. They had, of course, gone home by the time he heard his messages and he was forced to wait until Friday to hear his news.

I can't believe we were both accepted to our first choice school the first time we applied! We are the first husband/wife team to go through this program.

My fellow applicant that I took under my wing at the interview was also accepted! Mike and I are planning to set up a study group that meets regularly... possibly at our house. Our living room is big enough that we could cram all 30 students in our class in here to study together.

For better or worse, the interview is over.

I completely shocked myself by only having one brief moment of nerves. Totally shocking, and somewhat out of character for me. I walked into the registration with confidence and then sat back and enjoyed chatting with fellow applicants that I hadn't seen in awhile.

The program is accepting 30 students this time, and 46 applicants were brought to the interview. It was slightly daunting to see the competition. And... there were students there that I am not entirely sure how they managed to make it this far. I know it is horribly rude to say, but there are a few in particular that I will be insulted if they are accepted into the program and I am not.

So, I walked in with the attitude that I am going to be accepted to a nursing program, it's a matter of if they saw my worth or not. I feel I presented myself in a very positive light, and yet I didn't come across as pushy. I smiled and made eye contact.

I gave it my best, I'll just have to wait until Friday to see if I'm what they are looking for.

We were broken into groups for the interviews, and I was the only student in my group who called that campus home. As a result, the current nursing student who had been our leader was allowed to leave and I became in charge of getting my group from place to place on time. As I led my fellow interview-ees through the halls, I was greeted by other students who I have come to call friends over the last year, as well as former instructors. All knew today was the interview, and they all stopped me to wish me well and let me know they were pulling for me. For once, I didn't feel invisible and I was glad for the positive thoughts being given.

It was a good day. I hope Friday brings good news.

I love following the blog Post Secret. I sit on Sunday afternoons and read the new postcards, sometimes I laugh, sometimes I wipe a tear from my eye. I love the whole idea of Post Secret. This week the author shared that he was in a bookstore and picked up one of his books and found that someone had added this secret inside the book.

You shouldn't give up.
Fight for yourself and
who you are. You've got
to go through the worst
times in life to get the best

Very inspirational!

I thought I'd add it here to inspire those of you who stumble across my blog.

I've gone to find myself. If I should return before I get back, keep me here.

Anyone know where that quote originates from? I'd love to give credit where credit is due, but a (quick) google search didn't give me the answer.

At any rate, it's a very fitting quote for me these days. I hardly know if I'm coming and going, and my general answer for "what's going on tomorrow?" is "No clue." My husband was nice enough to write down the schedule that we should be following, if everything were going according to plans... which they generally are not. I refer to my schedule frequently.

Luckily for me, I have the worlds most understanding boss. As long as I keep her in the loop, I can come and go as I please. I have a weekly number of hours I try to meet, but it's no big deal if it doesn't happen. Which is a very good thing.

I started off the week hoping to work a couple extra hours early in the week so I could take this morning off. My kids school thought it would be a great idea to not have class on Thursday or Friday. Something about student enrichment, I don't understand it either. Instead of working extra, my week has gone something like this...

Monday: Things started out great. I got to work early, accomplished lots and left to pick up my youngest from kindergarten in a fabulous mood. All was lovely until I pulled in the driveway to drop my youngest with his babysitter for the afternoon. That was when the steam rose and the antifreeze fell. Crud. So, no math class for me that afternoon as I struggled to find where the leak had sprung from and fixed. the end result was no leak found, and no more leaking. I have the first self repairing vehicle.

Tuesday: Instead of heading to work bright and early, I was stuck home with a sick child. My middle child has decided now to be the opportune time to build life long immunity to the H1N1 flu. E-mailed my flu paranoid instructor and let her know I would not be making the test that afternoon and made arrangements to take the test before class on Wednesday. Instead made a trip to the doctors.

Wednesday: I'm back to work, sick kid or not. However instead of being able to work my full shift, I have to leave early to go take my math test. Calculator decides to die mid test. I manage without. Race off to kids school to pick up non-ill children. Drop kids off with afternoon sitter and race back to math class. Then back home to help my best friend/new housekeeper clean the house. Fall into bed exhausted.

Thursday: All things considered, today went ok. I worked, as I wasn't able to build up hours earlier in the week. Then grabbed the worlds best babysitter from the school parking lot (she goes to my school part time!) took her with me to pick up my kids from my house and dropped them all off at her house. She had things to do and my kids love playing with her baby sisters. Raced off to math class. After class I headed back to pick up kids, and managed to squeeze in time to visit with a friend before racing off again. Two trips to stores to find a red box with Monsters vs. Aliens, and we made it back home just in time to relieve grandmas caregiver. I caught a 10 minute nap on the couch before starting family movie night. Now we are chilling, waiting for kids to go to bed so I can steal back the TV and watch Grey's Anatomy.

Friday: That's in the future, and I know better than to predict the future. Something will fall out of the sky and throw my entire day, if not year, off course. There may or may not be a doctor appointment for a child, there should be work, beyond that is anyone's guess. I'm just thankful I don't have classes on Fridays!

1. Who was your first prom date?
I didn't go to prom, just wasn't my thing. I may have been at the races that weekend, I loved (and still love) being at the race track.

2. Do you still talk to your first love?
No, we still loosely hear about each other from other mutual friends, but we do not talk anymore.

3. What was your first alcoholic drink?
Hmmm, either baileys and coffee or hot chocolate with a shot of mint schnapps.

4. What was your first job?
I started babysitting really young, and even had an after school nanny position, but my first non childcare experience was Corning Revere at the local mall.

5. What was your first car?
1981 Subaru Wagon. It wasn't my favorite car, and I didn't take nearly as good of care of it as I should have. I drove it until the brain fried, then it was fixed and given to a family member who wrecked it. next it was given to a family friend with an auto repair shop, he used it as a shop vehicle and then ran it in a demolition derby. The car won and as far as we know is still being used as a shop car.

6. Who was the first person to text you today?
Lynessa.

7. Who was the first person you thought of this morning?
My husband.

8. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs. Bebe, she was french and we spoke primarily french in class (too bad I don't really remember the language anymore)we also had a blind lady bring her seeing eye dog to class to teach us about people with disabilities.

9. Where did you go on your first flight in a plane?
At a few months old my family moved from Alaska back to Washington, we took a small commuter plane for the first leg of our trip. My mom remembers being terrified, I remember nothing.

10. Who was your first best friend and do you still talk?
Tiffany, we lost touch shortly after I got married, though our fathers still talk frequently.

11. Where was your first sleepover?
I assume it was at my Grandma Coopers, but I don't remember for sure. First friend sleep over was probably in first grade at Angela's house.

12. Who was the first person you talked to today?
Hubby.

13. Whose wedding were you in for the first time?
I was suppose to be the flower girl at my mom's wedding when she remarried. I was 5 and very shy, so I ran away. I think the ceremony was over before my grandpa found me and brought me back. The only other wedding I've been in was my own.

14. What was the first thing you did this morning?
Signed the kids homework folders.

15. What was the first concert you went to?
I know my dad took me to Bumbershoot when I was a small child, but other than that it was Maneheim Steamroller a few years ago. Hubby got me the tickets as an early Christmas present.

16. First tattoo?
Tree of Life on my right calf, love it!

17. First piercing?
Ears at 5 years old.

18. First foreign country you went to?
Mexico, not very exciting.

19. First movie you remember seeing?
First movie I remember seeing in theaters was E.T., I remember several movies that we watched at home before that... Savannah Smiles, The Bears and I, Lobo, Benji.

20.What state (province) did you first live in?
Alaska

21. Who was your first room mate?
Laura.

22. When was your first detention?
Never had detention, not that I didn't do things that should have gotten me detention, I just never got caught.

23. When was your first kiss?
6th grade, I think.

24. What is one thing you would learn, given the chance?
Glass blowing!

25. Who will be the next person to post this?
Probably no one :)

Friday afternoon I sent my 5 year old down to the mailbox to see if there was any news from Pierce College. We had been told something was happening with the letters on the 18th, but it was unclear if the letters were being mailed on the 18th or if we should expect them in our mailboxes on the 18th. I held my breath as he ran down to the lower driveway and opened the mailbox, he peered in and then shut the door again. Drat! No mail. I put on a happy face and headed into the house to feed my hungry kindergartner. I was resigned to waiting until Saturday, maybe even Monday if the mail people were being slow. And, considering how much I wanted (And dreaded, if we're being honest) this letter I was sure mail would be slow.

After lunch I decided to check my e-mail and was surprised to see mail sitting on top of my laptop. My grandmothers caregiver must have gotten the mail while she was out. Flip, flip, flip. Something from the kids school, bills, and a letter from the Allied Health Department for my husband. I flipped through it all again. Nope, nothing for me. So I called my husband into the room and gave him the letter, figuring that if I didn't receive a letter and he did, I didn't make it to the next round.

As he turned the letter over to open from the back magic happened, one envelope became two! They must have been stuck together! We both tore into our envelopes and...

I couldn't figure out what my paper said. There was writing, and information, but at that moment with all the anticipation, my brain refused to decode the letters on the page.

My husband was smiling and asking if I made it. "I don't know, what does your letter look like?" He held his letter up... it looked to be in the same format as mine. So did I make it? Another agonizing 10 seconds and my brain decided to cooperate.

I've made it to the interviews!

At that moment I don't think I would have been more excited if it was my acceptance letter. To me, it was the acceptance letter. October 20th, 7:30 am I will be going to the most important interview of my life thus far. I will not vomit (at least I'm telling myself I wont) and I will dazzle the judges. I WILL get into this nursing program.

Please send positive thoughts!

There are days that I believe the Financial Aid department is on a mission to make my head explode in frustration. Yesterday was one of those days.

I was happy as a clam as I walked out to check the mail. Then nervous when I saw the letter from Pierce College. We are still waiting to hear if we have made it to the second step in the nursing application process, so there was a quick hope that the letter had finally come. Then I saw that the return address was actually from the Pierce College Financial Aid department. Hmm, ok. I opened it and was shocked to see a letter stating that after review they had determined I was no longer eligible for financial aid.

WHAT???

So I grabbed the phone and dialed the number for the Puyallup office. Despite being well within the regular business hours, by call went straight to voice mail. I pondered leaving a message so they could call me back as their message promised. Except, I spent nearly a month calling and leaving message on that system and have yet to receive one call back. Instead I opted to call the sometimes less friendly Ft. Steilacom office.

After waiting on hold I was connected with a nice gentleman and we got down to work to try to figure out why my account had this suspension placed on it. I attempted 12 credits last quarter. I did not pass Sociology. To be fair, this was a somewhat planned failing of Sociology. But to go from having straight 4.0's to not passing one class and being removed from financial aid? That wasn't right.

The long and short of it was that someone had gone into my file and manually placed a suspension on my financial aid. I met none of the requirements for the computer system to automatically suspend my aid, and he could see where someone had gone in and placed the suspension. What he could not say (and may or may not have been able to see) was who had done this. I have my suspicions, based on a bitter battle with one person in financial aid over my husbands financial aid that I have been attempting to straighten out. The timing is nearly perfect and she has the access to do so. But, I'll never know, so I'll just be relieved that I was able to get it quickly straightened out.

No word yet on if I will be called for the second step in the application process for the nursing program. I think we should know by the end of the month. I hope so anyway, the interviews are in the middle of October. I've started having nightmares about the letter coming in the mail, always a letter of rejection for me and acceptance for my husband. And, though I know I will be happy for my husband, I will be sad for myself if I am not accepted with him.

I don't think I have appreciated a break from schooling so much as I am these few weeks in between summer and fall quarter. I have taken 2 road trips with my best girlfriend, cleaned the house, and read Twilight (all 4 books) again. Want to see a couple pics from the road trips?

Here is a beach pic from the first trip:



We enjoyed a full day at Ocean Shores, just the two of us. She is the only other person I know who is happy to sit quietly on the jetty and watch the waves break across the rocks.

Next we loaded up the car again, and brought along one of her 16 year old daughters and headed to Forks, Wa. The drive was breath taking! I have sadly, much fewer pictures from this trip, as I forgot to charge the camera batteries the night before.

Here is one from the road:



Although our destination was Forks, Wa, in reality it was just a road trip around the Hwy 101 loop. We spent just as much time in other stops as we did in Forks. Next time we are taking both the twins and will plan a Forks, La Push event.

This trip was good for my soul. We all laughed so hard our stomachs hurt, we forgot to breath and we still all break out in giggles at the mention of certain subjects. I so needed the time away from reality to de-stress. It was the best birthday present my husband could have given me.

Summer quarter has been over for a couple weeks now, and there is not one cell in my body that has missed school. I don't wanna go back! I have to go fall quarter in order to keep my scholarship, and I just don't have the motivation. Plus, I'm going to have to take classes I'm not excited about, so I don't even have cool classes to look forward to.

What do you do to get your motivation back?

Looking forward to Winter quarter... assuming I will be in the nursing program. But fall quarter just seems like icky tediousness that I have to drag myself through.

Just letting you all know, there will be no great posting of grades from summer quarter. It was a rough one for every student I know. Somehow we all hit burn out at the same time. So, this quarter, I did the bare minimum in two of my classes, and even less in the third. Oh well, time to move on!

I am really looking forward to taking a break from studying and spending quality time in my newly fixed hot tub!

Today was the deadline for this years nursing program application. It's been a long week getting all of their required elements finished. Today at noon I walked into the nursing department and handed it all in, for better or worse, it's out of my hands now.

I feel I have a fair chance at being advanced to the interview stage. I think my personal statements were well written, and expressed my point of view well. My letters of recommendation should be good. Everyone knows and loves the person I had write my personal letter, and the instructor that wrote my professional letter is highly respected. It could have been worse for sure.

I should receive word by late September if I have made it to the interviews. Assuming I do make it to the interview, I will have a hopeful letter of acceptance late October/early November.

Now it's time to kick back and relax. Or, get caught up on my summer classes that suffered this last week.

I knew eventually I would hit a roadblock that I would have to find a way to overcome and the time has come. I scheduled an appointment with my doctor to receive a hep b vaccine, and to set up a schedule to get the rest of my vaccines. Once my doctor went over my previous reaction and my chart she decided she was not comfortable giving me any vaccines. Ever. Ok, that leaves me with some not so great options. First, my doctor has scheduled me an appointment with an allergist. She feels that the allergist should be able to run some tests and determine the safest way to get these vaccines into me. This option requires the nursing program to allow me to have a waiver during the application process. Normally if you don't have proof of your hep b shot your application is dismissed. The nursing director at my school is talking over my situation with their clinical hospital and may issue me a waiver for the vaccines, but this is done on a case by case basis and I would have no guarantee of a clinical placement all the way through the program. Thus, I could get through 5 of the 6 quarters of the program and then not have a clinical spot for the 6th quarter and have to drop out.

My second option is to find another dr's office that accepts my insurance and just not mention my previous reaction. This is by far the most dangerous. I have scar tissue surrounding my brain from the first reaction. And we don't really know what caused the first reaction. It is very possible that an exposure to more vaccines could cause an immune reaction which could lead to anaphalactic shock, or the scar tissue swelling causing increased intercranial pressure... possibly death. It is my dr's opinion that any vaccine given to me must be done in the presence of a medical team and medical equipment ready to support me through a major reaction.

My third option would be to decide I'm not going into the medical field afterall. This is not an option I'm willing to consider. I will get my RN, one way or another.

So, I've got a lot to think about over the next few days. I am really hoping that the nursing director will call me back and say we have the green light from the clinical hospital for me to attent clinicals on a vaccine waiver and I can work with my allergist to slowly get these vaccines in as soon as possible. I still need to complete my functional resume and my personal statement. I've booked the babysitter to be spending a full long day with the kids and I should be able to knock these out durring that time.

Everybody cross your fingers for me!

I started this blog for a couple reasons. First, I wanted to be able to look back and see what I have accomplished. I don't share a lot of personal details here, I save those for my private blog, but I wanted to be able to look back at what my pre-reqs and (hopefully) nursing classes were like for me. Second, I wanted my blog to be a source of information and inspiration for others considering going back to school. Whether they were going back to school for nursing or underwater basket weaving. Being a wife and mother and care giver and taking the leap to go back to school too... it can be overwhelming! So I hoped that I could share my experience, that yes it is overwhelming and when you start you have no idea how you are going to make it through. But, you just need to take that first leap of faith and then keep putting one foot in front of the other. I think having the mindset that this IS what you are doing and not accomplishing your goal is not an option helps also.

With all that said, I decided now would be a good time to make a list of "What I Know".

It will be hard. Some things will be harder than you thought, some will be easier. It will be hard, but it will be worth every minute.

Ask for help. This was hard for me, I like to think I can do it all myself. the people at the financial aid office are your friend, they want to see you succeed. I promise. Go in, talk to them. Fill out the FAFSA, you may qualify for assistance you never thought you were eligible for. Then talk to your friends in the financial aid office some more. They may know of special grants offered by your college, and they surely know how to get in contact with the scholarship office.

Apply for scholarships. There are so many out there, find the ones you qualify for and apply! I never thought I would get the scholarships I have received. I was sure there was better, more qualified students out there. And, maybe there is, but they didn't apply.

Find the tutoring center. They don't let just anyone be a tutor. Allow them to help you do better in your classes.

Be nice to your instructors, but don't kiss up. You never know when you will need a letter or recommendation. And don't be afraid to ask them for some help too. Most instructors will bend over backwards to help you in their class... if you ask!

Please leave your cell phone alone while in class. I am amazed every quarter at the number of students who text all through lecture, then complain that the material is too hard and they just don't understand. It bothers those that are around you, trying to learn. No really, even if your phone is on silent. We still hear the keys and it is distracting when you are constantly picking up the phone, and putting it away again. We survived for many years not being in constant contact with our friends and family, you too will survive this hour. Disclaimer: By all means, if you have something unusual going on and you need to have your phone available, do so. But really this should be a once a quarter, if that, thing. I have 3 kids and a profoundly disabled grandmother that I am responsible for. I worry every time I have someone in the house taking care of them that I will get a call requiring me to rush home. It's happened once, it may happen again.

Take help where it is offered. You need to get the best grades possible. If someone offers to take the kids to the park for a couple hours so you can study... do it! On a similar note; kids, even small kids, can help with chores around the house. This is a good thing for them and for you!

I know there is more that I am forgetting, but I hesitate to offer too much advice for how to study. I have learned that I study very different than many other students.

Oh! One more. Always do your best. But, if it comes down to turning in a partially done assignment (or one that is done but not up to your standards) or not turning in the paper at all. Turn it in. Get the partial credit on the paper and move on. Hopefully you will have a high enough grade that you can coast once or twice.

I really believed sociology was going to be an easy, minimal effort class. It seems I was wrong.

There are 10 assignments due in the first week of class. And most are not quick assignments either. Ugh!

Tomorrow marks the first day of summer quarter. When I signed up for classes I was looking forward to a nice relaxing quarter. All of my heavy science classes are behind me, what would I have to worry about? Um, my sociology class seems to have an excessive workload. We are talking DVD's to watch weekly, along with essays and a couple other assignments... weekly!! Oh well, it will be over soon. And, as disappointed as I would be to knock down my GPA, most nursing programs figure your GPA only from your pre-req classes. So, I can lower my standards for this class. Yeah right.

I'm only a couple weeks away from having to turn in my nursing school application. Exciting! Scary! I am not looking forward to this. Logically I know that I have a good chance of getting in. And if I don't get in at my first choice, I have even better odds at my second choice. But still, it's hard putting yourself out there for others to accept... or reject. I've looked through the application packet, found myself overwhelmed and put it away again. So much is riding on these next few weeks!

Back to summer quarter. I will be enjoying the sun while studying sociology, medical terminology 2 and 2 typing classes. Hopefully this quarter will go smoothly, and I'll just be killing time until I get my acceptance letter!

Spring quarter is finally over! It felt like a sprint from the first week through the last day. never giving me a chance to stop and catch my breath. I wish I could say that I learned a lot. My grades seem to indicate that I did, but sitting here enjoying not having class today... I can't remember a thing I learned. I keep wanting to call this spring break, but no, this is my meager summer break.

Here they are, the spring grades:

• Microbiology 4.0
• Organic Chemistry 4.0
• Keyboarding 4.0

Yippee, another quarter I have not failed. I wonder when I will realize I'm not likely to totally flunk out of school?

This quarter has been harder than I anticipated. I suggest to everyone I meet on the path to nursing school.... don't take these classes together (organic chem and microbiology). Two challenging classes that don't tie in together with complementing information. Sure, they both are pulling heavily from information you learned in your previous biology and chemistry classes, but they aren't complementing each other. Both instructors are great, and I am learning a lot, but looking back I see better ways to have combined my classes.

Spring quarter is almost over! Then on to summer. Thankfully with just filler classes to make me look better to nursing programs. I'm almost done with my must have classes!!

Who knew I would be good at microbiology? The topic doesn't particularly interest me. In fact, I'm generally uncomfortable with a lot of the "what we can do and what we might be able to do soon" discussions surrounding this topic. I know I'm the oddball, but I don't necessarily think it's a good thing we can take a multivitamin when we eat a carrot because it has been genetically modified to have all these extra vitamins in them. In fact, genetic modification as a whole just seems very wrong to me. I am interested in diseases and disease processes. Learning the techniques used to identify a bacteria is interesting, though something I don't foresee utilizing in my career. Typically, if I'm not interested in a subject, I don't excel at the subject. So color me shocked that I currently have the second highest grade in the class after our first two exams.

As for organic chemistry...I'm fairly convinced that chemists have created this crazy naming system just to create job security for themselves. The long list of rules you must go through just to identify that the strange little drawing you are looking at is a 1,3-dimethylpentane, just seems a bit silly. And I dread lab every week. It seems you cannot have an organic chem lab experiment that doesn't include smells that you wish you couldn't smell while in the lab, and your nose burning and unable to smell anything else for days. There are several of us who have experienced nose bleeds, burning nostrils and lost ability to smell each week. And for what? So we can see that cyclohexene will react in the presence of bromine? And I will use this when?? Exactly, just as I assumed.

I do enjoy being at the end of my pre-reqs. And I also enjoy being known as someone who is competent in science. Hearing that more and more of my former instructors are sending struggling students to find me is a nice ego boost.

Microbiology seems to be a pretty standard pre-req for most all RN programs, I just can't figure out why. What are we learning in this class that we are going to utilize in our careers? I doubt I will find myself staining a slide of e-coli in the next 5 years. Maybe I'm wrong though. Don't get me wrong, I find the information interesting. And watching the people at the lab station across from you attempting to set themselves on fire day after day is always amusing. And really, I think what it comes down to, microbiology that nursing programs use to weed out those that can't candle the higher level sciences.

After several promptings by my instructors I filled out the application for tutoring. It seems that many of my former instructors would like me to impart some of my knowledge into future students. And it pays well, so why not? Well, because the supplemental instruction (SI) instructor for A&P doesn't want there to be tutors in the tutoring center, she wants students to be forced into using the SI. This would be great, but the SI instructor only offers one time slot twice a week, and that time slot leaves students in conflict with their other classes. This was something that frustrated me when I was in A&P, the SI was offered during the same time as Chemistry, so I was essentially forced to choose between getting more practice in A&P or attending my chemistry class. So, college politics being what they are, I am now in a tug of war between instructors and SI. The instructors want me to come to their classes personally and round up the students who are interested in tutoring. I am sure this would not cause warm and fuzzy feelings with SI. Not to mention, if the tutoring center doesn't decide to go ahead and override the SI people and hire me anyway, I would essentially be signing myself up to tutor large numbers of people for free. And that wasn't really my goal.

Ok, time to polish my essay for this years scholarships.... it's due tonight by 5!

This is the quarter I've been dreading since the first time I sat down with a adviser to plan out my pre-reqs. The very idea of a quarter of microbiology and organic chemistry made my heart beat a little faster. Now it's here, and instead of voices in my head, I'm hearing action music as I dash from one thing to the next trying to keep my head above water.

I have never been a student that had to put in the required hours of studying. It's not fair, but true. I tend to need to study less than many other students. This quarter I'm living with my books. Picking away at pre-test questions for micro, writing another lab report for o-chem, taking a stab at another problem from my o-chem homework.

I keep hoping that I'm going to fall into a routine and it will all feel more manageable. I think the reality is I will be hearing action music in my head for the next 7 weeks, and will hopefully slide out of finals week knowing I can take on more than I thought.

I still haven't even looked at my keyboarding stuff... that's a bad thing, right?

11pm on sunday night and spring break is over. For some reason I thought spring break was going to be longer than one week. Maybe universities have a longer spring break? At any rate, tomorrow we return to class. This quarter will bring me to Microbiology, Organic Chemistry and Keyboarding. It could be a rough quarter. I have two instructors that I've had before and I'm not dreading having to spend another quarter with either of them... so let's hope all will go well.

Grades from last quarter:

A&P 4.0
Nutrition 4.0
ECE Pass

Cumulative gpa is 3.92, I should be in good shape for getting into TCC. Not my first choice school, but I like feeling like I have a solid back up plan.

Wahoo, another quarter down. And I'm expecting good grades too! I'm starting to feel nervous at the idea that in one more quarter I will be applying to nursing programs. I'm so ready, and yet not, all at the same time.

As silly as it sounds, I couldn't bring myself to sell back my A&P book or lab manual. I'm telling myself that it will be a good reference while I am in nursing school. I think part of it is that I've never put as much effort into any class before. I'm happy it's over, and yet, find myself also wishing A&P was a 3 quarter class. It feels like there is still so much we didn't cover.

Nutrition is over, and I am quite tickled to have walked out of that class with the highest grade. It was fund having Woods for an instructor again, and I allowed myself to come out of my shell and be more outspoken in that class than I am in my others. He is writing me a letter of recommendation for my nursing applications.

I'm so happy to be on spring break! The house will get cleaned, and I will take naps. And I need to work on memorizing the functional groups for organic chemistry. Other than that, I'm making no promises.

Next quarter is Microbiology, Organic Chemistry and Keyboarding.

For the first time in the last two quarters I feel like I have a good routine going. Ok, so I never made time to get groceries last week and we were without milk for 2 days, but still. I think I have figured out what I need to do to get the grade I need out of A&P, and have found a balance of getting things done ahead of time for Nutrition so I'm not cramming the night before. Of course, we have less than 3 weeks left in the quarter so I'm not going to be enjoying my better schedule for long.

I'm still very frustrated with A&P. Yes, I am going to have a good grade in this class. Most likely not the 4.0 I really want, but certainly above a 3.5 and for this level class that's nothing to shake a stick at. However, the way I'm getting that grade leaves me feeling a little dirty. This class as a whole is failing. We are either failing to understand what the teacher is instructing on, or we are failing to be able to figure out what he is asking on tests. The most likely thought is that it's a combination of both. On our last test the class average was 56%. That is unbelievable in a 200 level class. This is not a class full of slacker students who don't care what their grade is; it is a room full of pre-med, in one way or another. We are all either pre nursing, pre dr, pre pharmacist, pre dental. We are all heading for highly competitive medical programs. And we are all at the end of our pre-reqs, we've done lots of other classes, we know how to study and we don't expect to be handed easy grades. So, I don't have to get great grades on my tests to earn a good grade, I just have to do enough to be above the curve and allow the curve to push me up to the higher grade. And I'm worried that while this will look ok on paper, I'm not learning all I need to know to be successful in my nursing program, and in my career. I don't want to be the nurse that no one wants to care for their family.

I registered last week for my spring quarter classes. Microbiology, with my A&P instructor from last quarter. Organic chemistry from my Chem 100 instructor. And I'm rounding out my credits with a keyboarding class, one credit that I wont learn much from, but I will allow me to remain full time status. While I am really looking forward to this quarter, Mike is dreading it. Our organic chem class is from 5-10pm. Yawn. I love the night classes, he just wants to go home and go to bed. But it's the only one being offered this quarter... some of our science instructors are taking leaves, and/or are trying to teach a much lighter class load. I'm hoping this works in my favor.

Well, we've hit the mid point of this quarters classes. This quarter is flying by.

I feel like I have found my niche... I really love learning about anatomy and physiology. I love the concrete -ness of this is how the body works. I'm really wishing we were allowed to dissect, or even just get a hands on look at something that has been dissected. This whole looking at pictures and talking about it isn't giving me the full immersion that I'm craving. Still not hot on the instructor though.

Nutrition. Well, this class is more in depth than I anticipated. Still not hard, but harder than I anticipated. Having my biology instructor makes it worth it. Having the top grade in the class is amusing. I could probably score higher in this class if I was to devote the study time to this class that I do for my others. Basically, I ignore that this class exists until about 8 pm Friday night. I spend some time getting my notes ready for the test and print off the power points for the lecture. And then I spend 4 1/2 hours in class on Saturday and I'm free again until Friday night. To be fair, it really helps that a lot of the more in depth ideas that are being taught I've already been exposed to in at least one other class, sometimes as much as three times before. So things like cellular respiration just doesn't require a lot of thought on my part this time around.

I register for my Spring classes next week. I can hardly believe that I'm getting ready to start my final quarter of pre-reqs. I hope nursing school goes by just as quickly.

In the mail this weekend was a letter addressed to me from Columbia University in New York. Puzzled, I opened the letter, and became somewhat more confused. It seems this school would like to offer me a spot to further my education, due to my academic excellence. Washington to New York, that would be quite the commute. I guess it's an honor to have colleges interested in me, it's just taken me a bit by surprise. Is this because I am on the Dean's list? And if so, why weren't the interested in me while I was on the Presidents list?

I did much better than I anticipated on my first A&P 2 exam, no thanks to the boob of an instructor. Should anyone out there be heading to Pierce College in Wa, I would be happy to share the boobs name so you can avoid the ridiculousness I am experiencing.

Nutrition is going great. Maybe not quite as much of a slacker class as I was anticipating. Certainly nothing near the level of instesity of all the other science classes I have passed through. If nothing else, I am getting the opportunity to view some movies that I had been interested in seeing, just never got around to before. So far we have watched Fast Food Nation, an interesting and at times funny movie, though it would be easy to drive a mack truck through his "study". This week we started Lorenzo's Oil. Another movie I have heard great things about. We only watched the first half, and I came home eager to see if it happened to be playing on any of the channels we receive. As luck would have it, it is playing this week, but on a channel we don't receive. I guess I'll be waiting for next Saturday.

Now that Cameron is attending his second semester of campus childcare I feel that I can give a fair review of our experience there. First, the cost is great, and they accept child care assistance and offer small scholarships to families that don't receive child care assistance. They feed them several times a day, and parents are encouraged to drop in betwee classes to eat with their child, on the schools dime. They try very hard to maintain a family friendly environment, and also have a study area for parents to hand out between classes. In the study area you will find comfortable chairs and tables, wireless internet for those with laptops, and computers for those without. Snacks and beverages are also provided. there are children attending the center with severe food allergies so no one is allowed to bring in any food or drink. The staff is wonderful, very warm and caring to the kids. They take the time to really get to know each child and make sure they are having a good time. My one complaint is that the staff is supplemented with various students as work study positions. Some of these parents have been less than stellar. Huge plus to the staff, when I have brought up concerns arising from the work study people, the staff has been right on top of it. I love that they take pictures and fill out a folder letting me know about special things my child did while I was in class. The kids go outside every day, no matter the weather, and are often taken outside the play yard to go on nature walks. Another great feature of the child care center is that they plan monthly activities for families to participate in, usually free or very low cost. We have participated in a family gymnastics night, including free pizza and drinks and very cheap tickets to Northwest Trek. Next month there is going to be something at the Seattle Science Center, this month they had a family movie night that included a craft, popcorn and drinks and a new release movie. Your campus Child Care Center is your friend, at least it is at Pierce.

Is anyone reading along? Am I talking to myself? Or maybe only to the voices in my head.


hmm....

I guess I somehow forgot to update here with my winter quarter schedule. So far this quarter has been a breath of fresh air and I can see this being my favorite quarter... so long as my A&P instructor gets well and comes back! I anticipate the quarter taking a much different direction should she decide she is not well enough to continue the quarter and we are stuck with the boob that took over our last lecture. For now, let's think positive.

This quarter I'm not on campus nearly as much, and I'm loving it! I have A&P Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5:30 to 9:10. Half of that is lecture and the other half is down in the lab. The instructor is fabulous! I love her teaching style, I walk away from class feeling like I've learned a ton and not feeling like I need to go home and attempt to muddle through the text alone. She also give the impression of truly caring about her students and being invested in each student learning as much as they possibly can. Then I have a class on Saturday from 8:30 to 1:00. Everyone I tell about my nutrition class seems to think it's horrible to have to go to school on a Saturday, but I find it very peaceful. The class is filled with people who are there to learn instead of the random mix of people filling their time until they grow up. Plus the instructor is the same instructor I had in biology and we get along swimmingly. As an entry level class (that also gets me extra points on my nursing application, bonus!) the material is not very challenging. And since it's such a long class the instructor has decided that it would be best for us all if he limited his lecture time and gave us time to complete our homework with our peers.

All in all, I have little to complain about. I can't believe it's almost time to submit my nursing school applications! I have been spending time reviewing each schools requirements to make sure I have all my ducks in a row. It's a little scary and overwhelming, to tell you the truth.

Oh, I made the dean's list! Exciting! Wish I knew more about the significance of this.