So I’ve been away for a while. I went on a little blogging break…for many reasons. Life is still moving in warp speed.
A little glimpse into what has been going on the last few months:
My dear camera has been out sporadically. It will be getting plenty of attention when baby arrives and will no longer feel so much neglect! This afternoon I was able to snap a few quick shots at an Iris patch.
Ok…back to studying for tonight!
Well…life has been a little like a spinning top around here!
So here is a quick recap before I fill you in on my little/BIG secret :)
My mom had bilateral knee replacements 2 weeks ago. This has kept me running back and forth like crazy. Following her surgery she was transferred for inpatient therapy. Recovery is a tough road…but she should be getting out the end of this week!
Classes started back for me on Jan. 13th. So far, things are going smoothly! But I did choke a little when I found out my first test would cover 22 chapters!!
Now…the secret!
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A big surprise…but none the less a blessing! Baby is due 9/8/12. It’s going to be a LONG, HOT summer for sure!!
I knew that I had gotten totally wrapped up in all that occurred with the end of the fall semester and holidays…but didn’t realize I hadn’t posted in over a month! YIKES!!!
So here I am…and a few updates to go along to!
And here we are at New Year’s Eve!
Hopefully my blogging “mojo” is back and I can stay up-to-date on posting :)
I actually had a chance to peek into the blog world! Life has continued to be a little on the crazy side. I take that back…A LOT on the crazy side. So here are the fast and furious facts of my life as of lately:
And I even had the chance to get the camera out today! Here one of my favorite shots from today :)
Yes…my blogging has been on the back burner here lately. And my camera neglected once again!
So much has been going on though. School is back in full swing and way busier than I had imagined it to be! Work…well, that is a topic all by itself.
I started working back in the beginning of August. But things in this position were not exactly working out. Mainly, it was a huge conflict with my school schedule. That was no good at all. So, I resigned my position there and started at a different facility. This position is weekends only! I work a double on Saturday and a double on Sunday and my work week is finished. So that equals 32hrs in 2 days. That gives me plenty of time during the week to work on homework and catch up on sleep! While I hated leaving the first position, this was a much better option.
Other than that, not much exciting is happening. The weather is getting cooler and I hope to get my camera out and show it some love this week!
Yes…that has what it’s been like for me this past week!
I started back to work last Monday and it has been pretty much non-stop since. The first 3 days were facility orientation, which meant getting up at dark-thirty to be at work. I was SOOO happy when I found out that my regular hours will be 3-11 :)
This works great for me as I am not a “happy” morning person. It also works well for going to school. Best part…I will get 2 weekends a month off.
With all of the work craziness I haven’t had a chance to get my camera out much…BOO! And I’m also trying to catch up on all your blogs too!!!
I finished the LPN program in June, then took and passed my boards in July. The next step was finding a JOB!
As soon as I had my letter from the Florida Dept. of Health authorizing me to work as a graduate nurse I started the long, tiresome process of updating my resume. And then the hunt for a job ensued.
I’m not really sure what happened to all the LPN jobs, but they were all of the sudden far and few between. Literally there would be only one or two new listings a week! That my dear blog friends was a little stressful to see.
I had just finished school and now there are limited jobs for 3 graduating programs to fight for! So I did only what I knew to do…PRAY! God had gotten me this far, so I was sure that He wouldn’t leave me hanging.
I applied to a total of nearly 10 positions. So I then get a call for an interview. And was really excited about the possibilities it had to offer. After a month of going back and forth, an offer came. But it wasn’t what we had first discussed and I knew that it wasn’t going to be the right place for me.
And then…at 7pm one evening I get a call from my TOP CHOICE of where I said I wanted to work. I was ecstatic! But at the same time knew it would be next to impossible to go to work there. They aren’t known for hiring new grads.
But they gave me an interview…and guess what!?!?!?!
They decided to take a chance on me and started running my background checks. I then had a conditional offer on the table. I had to pass my reference checks, background screening and a few other small things.
And today, exactly 2 weeks later, I get THE CALL. The position is mine if I want it! Well, that was a no brainer!!! Yes I want it…and I am still pinching myself to make sure that I’m not dreaming.
This whole process, along with the last year of school, has taught me so much. God has an AMAZING plan for each of us! But we have to be willing to listen, be stretched, and sometimes be willing to walk by faith alone. The road to this point wasn’t easy…and at times I could even see a glimmer of light at the end. But God walked me through it, holding me up when I didn’t think I could take another step! And in the end, I am right where He wants me to be.
A big plus is that they are willing to work with my school schedule! Yep…school isn’t over for me yet. I have applied to start the RN program in January.
Oh…and I guess you would like to know where I am going to work at, huh?!?!?
I will be working at a VA Nursing Home. We did many clinical hours at this facility during school and I absolutely fell in love with not only the facility, but the residents as well. What an honor to be able to give back to those that have given so much to serve in our Armed Forces!!!
It’s nice to sneak away from all the craziness of life and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us! There has been much happening in my world in the last week…and I hope that I will be able share details soon!
Tonight I am trying very hard to have patience. Although I don’t know that I am being all that successful!
I took my NCLEX-PN exam today. Thanks to lots of prayers, I went into the test feeling very calm. I was ready for what it would throw my way!
The test doesn’t have a certain number of questions. It can be anywhere from 85-205 questions in length. It is a CAT test, which means:
CAT successively selects questions so as to maximize the precision of the exam based on what is known about the examinee from previous questions.[1] From the examinee's perspective, the difficulty of the exam seems to tailor itself to his or her level of ability. For example, if an examinee performs well on an item of intermediate difficulty, he will then be presented with a more difficult question. Or, if he performed poorly, he would be presented with a simpler question. Compared to static multiple choice tests that nearly everyone has experienced, with a fixed set of items administered to all examinees, computer-adaptive tests require fewer test items to arrive at equally accurate scores.[1] (Of course, there is nothing about the CAT methodology that requires the items to be multiple-choice; but just as most exams are multiple-choice, most CAT exams also use this format.)
The basic computer-adaptive testing method is an iterative algorithm with the following steps:[2]
Nothing is known about the examinee prior to the administration of the first item, so the algorithm is generally started by selecting an item of medium, or medium-easy, difficulty as the first item.
As a result of adaptive administration, different examinees receive quite different tests.
(above info can be found here)
Once the test makes a determination of passing or failing, it shuts off. And when I say “shut off” it does just that. I answered the minimum number of questions, 85, and my screen just blacks out!
Talking about feeling queasy and sick to you stomach! That is a gross understatement to describe the way I felt and STILL feel at this moment.
Many have asked me today how I thought I did. Really…I cannot answer that. I know it is hard to believe that one could take a test and not have a feeling one way or the other. But ‘tis true.
I now must try to have a little patience as I await my test scores. I’m praying the are posted tomorrow morning. As soon as they are available I will post them and hopefully get a little sleep. I have a feeling it will be a very restless night tonight!
And a BIG thank you to all you for your thoughts and prayers today…that were greatly appreciated!!!
That title is a mouthful! This is something that has been on my mind in the last few days, so I thought I would share.
How many times have we let ourselves be talked out of following our hopes and dreams? For me personally, it seems that I can be my own enemy.
Deep within each of us are desires and dreams. Some that we may share, and others simply personal goals that we would one day like achieve. So, what keeps us from getting there?
Many times we begin to doubt ourselves. Maybe we feel that we are not worthy, or not smart enough, or the dream is simply to big. But is this really true? REALLY?
I believe God places dreams and desires in our hearts. For He knows us better than anyone else. He knows our abilities, as well as our weaknesses. He too knows that if we trust Him, those weaknesses can be overcome to reach destination.
And just when we feel that we are too weak and tired to continue the pursuit, He reaches down and helps us through until we are ready to stand strong again.
In the last year, I have experienced many moments of ups and downs as I have followed where God has led me. Nursing school is not for the faint of heart…it is tough! And in the moments when I felt like I couldn’t take another step forward, He would meet me in that moment and give me the strength to take the next step.
And I know that He will continue to give me strength as I prepare for one of the hardest tests I will have to take…my licensing exam.
So…follow your dreams with confidence. Don’t let the world tell you that you can’t or doubt the abilities that God has given you. Anything is possible when we let go and allow God to lead our steps!
From the land of no time that is!
I just started my final course of the nursing program and suddenly find myself having a little bit of free time! I’m still not quite sure what to do with this time though!!!
So me and the camera were able to spend a little quality time together after a long separation…and that was so nice to get reacquainted with her.
Photos coming soon :)
Yep…I’ve been a little MIA here on the blog lately. I guess that is the way it goes sometimes! Last week was very hectic and then I went out of town for the weekend. My camera is feeling VERY neglected at the moment :(
The countdown is on until my pinning ceremony…45 days! This is part of why I’ve been MIA. There is so much to get finished and ready in the next 6 weeks. The biggest being finalizing everything to take my state board…YIKES!
Anywho…stay tuned for new pics coming soon!
In the last year I have faced many trials…and have found my way through them. Some easier to tackle than others.
And now, I find myself facing a giant. The nature of this giant will remain unstated. It is one of those situations in which you think you are doing all as it should be, only to find out that isn’t the case.
I have found myself shedding tears periodically throughout the day. And at times very agitated over the whole thing. But tonight as I sat here reading, I was reminded of the above verse.
In situations that are out of our control, we have but one thing to do. And that is to turn it over and let God’s peace replace the fear. Let that sweet peace wash away what the world has taught us and trust that God knows all.
Countdown to what? My LPN Pinning Ceremony!
I cannot believe that this chapter is nearing its end. And what a year this has been. As a class, we have learned so much. We have learned the necessary skills to care for those whom we come in contact with. But more importantly, we students have formed a bond that is unlike any other.
You fellow nursing students really become your family in a certain sense. This are the individuals you see more than anyone…including your family. You share many ups & downs…and there are those priceless moments that you will never forget.
And now in just a few short weeks, we will set out on our new career path. A scary thought that you will hold other’s life in your hands. Are we ready? I believe the correct answer would be yes and no!
Many times in life we can become our own enemy. We doubt ourselves, our abilities, and our strength. And by doing so, we miss the mark. We miss out on something great in life by letting fear weasel its way into our head.
We should be confident in ourselves, and in our abilities. And by standing strong, facing the challenges of life head-on, we find some of life’s most amazing moments!
So I am a fan of quotes. I use them on my blog often as you may have noticed. But sometime these simple little lines can speak volumes. And when one does, I like to share it.
One thing I learned early on is that mistakes will be made. And while some will be more life-altering than others, they all have an impact. It is a way in which we learn and grow.
I could choose to look back and have regrets and beat myself up over choices that I have made…or I can look forward, letting those choices shape and mold me into the person that I am now. I chose to look forward!
Here’s to an amazing week…Happy Monday everyone!!!
Valentines Day…a day that many associate with chocolate and flowers and love. For me, it is associated with life. And being thankful for each breath that I take.
On this day in 2005 I experienced my worst fear. But I also experienced a feeling that is surreal…and that words cannot adequately describe.
It started as any other day would. Get up and go to work. And then that evening go to class. Nothing seemed unusual or strange. Just a normal, rainy day. Or so I thought.
So I leave to go to class. It is no longer raining. But the roads are still very wet. I am half way to my destination when I feel my car hit a puddle of water. Not the first time this has ever happened to me, so I wait to feel myself get traction once again. But that doesn’t happen. Something felt very wrong and I knew in that moment that there was an issue. What happens next takes only seconds, but seems much longer. I am headed toward a line of pine trees…and they don’t look to forgiving. So I manage to somehow aim for the ditch. Little did I know that the ditch was full of water. My car flips…a total of 2.5 times.
As this sequence of events begins, I am willing myself to be aware. I count as I am rolling and in that first roll realize that I am getting wet. And when the rolling stops, I am left upside down…and under water.
I am living my nightmare of drowning. But instead of feeling panic and fear, I have the most overwhelming sense of calmness. I try to wiggle myself free, but that seatbelt did it’s job perfectly and I was held nice and snug. What now I am asking myself? How I am getting out of this water?
And that is when I hear that small voice saying “put your chin to your chest”. So I grab hold to the steering wheel and lift my head and shoulders up. Air…I can breath. As I catch my breath, I am assessing to see what my next move is and thinking why is no one helping me?
Once again that voice is so very clear “undo the seatbelt”. I am thinking there is no way. That seatbelt will need to be cut! But I reach down and hit the button. It pops open. Now the law of gravity says that with the seatbelt off, I should have fallen from the seat and hit my head. Nope…that doesn’t happen!
Still, there is not one single person coming down to where I am. And there is definite traffic as it was right at 5pm. I am on my own to get myself out. My next move is freeing myself from what remains of my car. So I squeeze through the opening of my driver’s window…on my belly army style. All total, my car was under 17 inches of muddy water and muck.
That is when I finally get help. You see, there were quite a few cars that witnessed the accident as it happened. And their thoughts were unanimous. There was no way a person could live through what they had just witnessed.
The odds were most definitely not in my favor with this accident. My car was brand new, so airbags should have deployed. Had they though, I would have been trapped underwater. I remained conscious. Had I blacked out, I never would have gotten my head raised out of that muddy water.
Call these things coincidence…I don’t think so. You see, I know that God’s protection is real. I know that my “Bubba” angel as I call him was co-pilot that afternoon. That still, small voice that was heard so clearly…not a real person!
I walked away from that horrific scene with a few cuts and bruises, and a head full of muck from being in that muddy water. That is it! And I walked away with a new meaning in life.
There is no promise of tomorrow…there is no promise of our next breath even. For me, this experience brought new meaning to that. Each day is truly a gift from God.
The pics below are of my car once it was out of that ditch. I wish that I had a few of it in the ditch before it was removed but I don’t.
I can’t get this out of my mind, so I thought I would pass it on! It is so true that we miss out on things because we are scared of the fall, or we can’t see what is waiting around the corner. But in those moments we do simply let go and take that leap of FAITH, we find ourselves with some of life’s greatest blessings.
So…don’t wait! Take that leap and see what is waiting!!!
