Two semesters of class work done, two to go. Then I get to start my rotations. We fell into a better groove this semester that we will continue next semester. I am a morning person. My brain doesn't operate at night. So I get up at 4am each day and go to school and study until class starts at 9:00 or 10:00am. Hubby drops the kids off at daycare on his way to work. I get out of class at 4:00pm and pick up the girls and we go home and make dinner and spend the evening together. I feel like I've found about as a good a balance between school and family as possible. Now I just need a house elf to help me keep the house clean. As it is, I struggle just to keep up with the laundry and dishes.
Right now school is out and I get to savor every moment with my family with minimal study stress in the back of my mind. And to make things even better, I did all my Christmas shopping online this year and started shopping super early, so I am completely done with gifts wrapped and under the tree.
Today little Amelia and I are having a Mommy and Amelia day while Julia is in school. I was going to take Amelia back in time for lunch, but my poor girl is not feeling well. She is running a low-grade fever and skipped lunch in favor of a nap. She's not been my normal happy, bubbly Amelia. Hopefully she'll be feeling better by tomorrow so Julia and I can have our scheduled Mommy and Julia day.
Hope you all are enjoying your holiday as much as I am! God bless.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Facebook Friday
For anyone that didn't catch it last time I did this, Facebook Friday is a review of my Facebook statuses for the week.
Tuesday - Amelia informed me last night that she wants me to buy her a pillow pet - this was not following a commercial for said product.
Tuesday - Cleaning out the girls closet. One trash bag full of shoes to donate. One trash bag full of clothes to donate. Two bags of size 24 month and 2T clothes to lend to family and friends. Maybe I should open a consignment store.
Wednesday - Kitchen and bathroom are now clean. Moving on to the dreaded chore of hanging my clothes.
Wednesday - Tackling the office. Last room of the house to clean.
Thursday - Still trying to sell our Graco DuoGlider (double stroller) with SnugRide car seat and two bases. http://tulsa.craigslist.org/bab/18860953
Thursday - The girls slept past 7:00! First time in a long time that has happened. Now I need to convince them that wearing clothes is a good idea, so I can take them to school.
Thursday - My kids pretend to take each other's noses and now heads. It's all fun and games until they won't give it back. Is it wrong that I just laugh while they scream, "My head, my head! Sissy take my head!"?
Thursday - The girls saying bye to their Aunt Autumn: Bye, Ottoman!
Friday -The girls slept until 7:30 today! I was able to remove the switch plates and hardware from the bathroom walls and start taping off so I can paint. Sleeping in is great while I'm not in school, but could become a problem next week.
Tuesday - Amelia informed me last night that she wants me to buy her a pillow pet - this was not following a commercial for said product.
Tuesday - Cleaning out the girls closet. One trash bag full of shoes to donate. One trash bag full of clothes to donate. Two bags of size 24 month and 2T clothes to lend to family and friends. Maybe I should open a consignment store.
Wednesday - Kitchen and bathroom are now clean. Moving on to the dreaded chore of hanging my clothes.
Wednesday - Tackling the office. Last room of the house to clean.
Thursday - Still trying to sell our Graco DuoGlider (double stroller) with SnugRide car seat and two bases. http://tulsa.craigslist.org/bab/18860953
Thursday - The girls slept past 7:00! First time in a long time that has happened. Now I need to convince them that wearing clothes is a good idea, so I can take them to school.
Thursday - My kids pretend to take each other's noses and now heads. It's all fun and games until they won't give it back. Is it wrong that I just laugh while they scream, "My head, my head! Sissy take my head!"?
Thursday - The girls saying bye to their Aunt Autumn: Bye, Ottoman!
Friday -The girls slept until 7:30 today! I was able to remove the switch plates and hardware from the bathroom walls and start taping off so I can paint. Sleeping in is great while I'm not in school, but could become a problem next week.
Monday, August 9, 2010
A Little Update
Today is my first day since having my kids that I have the house to myself and no schoolwork to do. I am looking forward to deep-cleaning my house! I know crazy. But it hasn't been cleaned properly since sometime before I started school.
Friday was my last day of Summer semester - and boy was it a rough one. Going to school full-time has been a huge adjustment. I knew it would be hard to put the girls in school full-time, but that I could handle it. What I didn't anticipate was how little time I would get to spend with my husband and kids in the evenings. My typical day went something like this:
6:00am - get myself dressed and ready for school
6:45am - girls wake up and get them ready for school
7:15am - drop the girls off at school
8:15 -5:00 - school
5:30pm - home to eat with the family
6:30pm - shut myself away to study
7:30pm - help hubby put the girls to bed
8:15pm - more studying
10:00pm - sleep
And despite all the time I spent focused on school, I still struggled to pass all my class. I was an emotional wreck for probably the last month and dealt with overwhelming anxiety for the entire two months (by the week before finals, I had a perpetual eye twitch). I regularly questioned why I was putting myself and my family through it all. All my reasons for doing this seemed so unimportant when faced with the fact that I missed my family so much and I wasn't even excelling at what I was doing. Then we had to go to the clinic one night and shadow an attending doctor. I shadowed an amazing allergist. She taught me so much including how to perform skin testing! I was asked to look in ears and noses and read testing results. I had such a great time. And when I finally got my grades last week, I passed all my classes and I felt so good about what I had accomplished this past semester. I took Biochemistry and Anatomy in 8 weeks in addition to two other classes and came out on the other side. I survived the difficult transition into full-time school and being away from my family - and they survived it too! I only have three more semesters of class work before I begin my rotations. That's just one year. I will graduate and go on to have a fulfilling career and teach my children that with hard work and perseverance one can overcome much. But when coupled with prayer and being in God's will, one can do anything.
Friday was my last day of Summer semester - and boy was it a rough one. Going to school full-time has been a huge adjustment. I knew it would be hard to put the girls in school full-time, but that I could handle it. What I didn't anticipate was how little time I would get to spend with my husband and kids in the evenings. My typical day went something like this:
6:00am - get myself dressed and ready for school
6:45am - girls wake up and get them ready for school
7:15am - drop the girls off at school
8:15 -5:00 - school
5:30pm - home to eat with the family
6:30pm - shut myself away to study
7:30pm - help hubby put the girls to bed
8:15pm - more studying
10:00pm - sleep
And despite all the time I spent focused on school, I still struggled to pass all my class. I was an emotional wreck for probably the last month and dealt with overwhelming anxiety for the entire two months (by the week before finals, I had a perpetual eye twitch). I regularly questioned why I was putting myself and my family through it all. All my reasons for doing this seemed so unimportant when faced with the fact that I missed my family so much and I wasn't even excelling at what I was doing. Then we had to go to the clinic one night and shadow an attending doctor. I shadowed an amazing allergist. She taught me so much including how to perform skin testing! I was asked to look in ears and noses and read testing results. I had such a great time. And when I finally got my grades last week, I passed all my classes and I felt so good about what I had accomplished this past semester. I took Biochemistry and Anatomy in 8 weeks in addition to two other classes and came out on the other side. I survived the difficult transition into full-time school and being away from my family - and they survived it too! I only have three more semesters of class work before I begin my rotations. That's just one year. I will graduate and go on to have a fulfilling career and teach my children that with hard work and perseverance one can overcome much. But when coupled with prayer and being in God's will, one can do anything.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Beginning of the End
Several people have asked me how school is going so far. It's time for a serious update. I know. I still don't have a New York or Disney post, but I seriously didn't have time to get on the Internet outside of school-related stuff last week.
Monday was day one of our 30 month adventure of Mommy in PA school. I woke up bright and early at 5:30am to get dressed and ready to go. Made my lunch like a good girl and woke the girls at 7:00am to get them dressed and ready to go. We were out the door by 7:10 and at their school by 7:25. Leaving the girls at school was not made any easier when they both looked up at me and said, "Mommy, wanna go home." My heart still shatters into a million pieces when I think about that moment. Thankfully there were no tears as I walked out the door.
I made it to my school by 7:45, which gave me plenty of time to find my building, find a parking spot, organize my things and put on a brave face for Anatomy Lab. We were divided into six groups, one for each cadaver. All was well until we opened the lid on our cadaver table. That is a smell that I don't think I will ever get used to. I tried to be brave and get close, but then I started feeling the blood drain from my face. I sat down to avoid passing out. I must have looked pretty bad because several people asked me if I was okay. When a girl in my group offered me a piece of gum, I took her up on it and the smell of WinterFresh immediately replaced formaldehyde. By the end of the class, I was watching my classmates dissect, but was not yet ready to actively participate.
After lab, we have lecture. This is the schedule everyday. It's a teleconference with a professor in Oklahoma City. Questions are harder this way. Nobody is thrilled with it. Apparently the Anatomy professor from last year went in for a procedure shortly after the Spring semester let out and didn't make it. Another example of why I believe that one should consider surgery thoroughly before jumping under the knife.
After lab is lunch and then we have another lecture. Depending on the day of the week it varies from 2-4 hours long. In addition to Anatomy, we are taking BioChemistry, Professional Issues in Medicine, and Public Health. Yesterday we took a Medical Terminology test and assuming I passed, that will be the last I will have of that class.
We didn't get the car seats in for Jonathan's car until Tuesday, so I had to pick the girls up from school Monday and Tuesday. Now it's Jonathan's job to pick them up. This gives me a little flexibility so I can spend quality time with the cadavers (I am fully capable of participating in the dissection of Fiona now - Fiona because her skin is a bit green) Thursday evenings in preparation for our weekly Friday lab exams. Fill-in-the-blank. Ouch. There's no guessing. You just either remember what you are looking at and the term for it or you don't. Pretty sure I passed, but most likely won't be hanging that grade on the fridge.
I did a good job this week of making up a list of easy meals and shopping for them over the weekend. I came home and knew exactly what my options were and had everything on hand. Hopefully I will remain diligent with that. Despite all my preparation and the support of my amazing husband, I have been experiencing a lot of anxiety. The kind that twists my stomach in knots and makes me wonder just when I will toss my cookies. Also, even though I am a (nearly) 30-year old student with a husband and two kids, I feel a bit overlooked by some of the other students - it's like high school all over again. Hopefully, as my anxiety passes and I get to know everyone better, this too will pass.
As for the girls, they don't seem to be any worse for the wear. They miss us, but seem to have fun at school. They only cried two of the five days we went to school and I'm sure that will improve when they get used to our new routine. I'm not happy with the foods they are fed (taquitos, pancake-on-a-stick, pop tarts - seriously?), but their school is clean and the teachers are nice and they have been napping.
Prayers are appreciated. This is going to be hard on all of us.
Monday was day one of our 30 month adventure of Mommy in PA school. I woke up bright and early at 5:30am to get dressed and ready to go. Made my lunch like a good girl and woke the girls at 7:00am to get them dressed and ready to go. We were out the door by 7:10 and at their school by 7:25. Leaving the girls at school was not made any easier when they both looked up at me and said, "Mommy, wanna go home." My heart still shatters into a million pieces when I think about that moment. Thankfully there were no tears as I walked out the door.
I made it to my school by 7:45, which gave me plenty of time to find my building, find a parking spot, organize my things and put on a brave face for Anatomy Lab. We were divided into six groups, one for each cadaver. All was well until we opened the lid on our cadaver table. That is a smell that I don't think I will ever get used to. I tried to be brave and get close, but then I started feeling the blood drain from my face. I sat down to avoid passing out. I must have looked pretty bad because several people asked me if I was okay. When a girl in my group offered me a piece of gum, I took her up on it and the smell of WinterFresh immediately replaced formaldehyde. By the end of the class, I was watching my classmates dissect, but was not yet ready to actively participate.
After lab, we have lecture. This is the schedule everyday. It's a teleconference with a professor in Oklahoma City. Questions are harder this way. Nobody is thrilled with it. Apparently the Anatomy professor from last year went in for a procedure shortly after the Spring semester let out and didn't make it. Another example of why I believe that one should consider surgery thoroughly before jumping under the knife.
After lab is lunch and then we have another lecture. Depending on the day of the week it varies from 2-4 hours long. In addition to Anatomy, we are taking BioChemistry, Professional Issues in Medicine, and Public Health. Yesterday we took a Medical Terminology test and assuming I passed, that will be the last I will have of that class.
We didn't get the car seats in for Jonathan's car until Tuesday, so I had to pick the girls up from school Monday and Tuesday. Now it's Jonathan's job to pick them up. This gives me a little flexibility so I can spend quality time with the cadavers (I am fully capable of participating in the dissection of Fiona now - Fiona because her skin is a bit green) Thursday evenings in preparation for our weekly Friday lab exams. Fill-in-the-blank. Ouch. There's no guessing. You just either remember what you are looking at and the term for it or you don't. Pretty sure I passed, but most likely won't be hanging that grade on the fridge.
I did a good job this week of making up a list of easy meals and shopping for them over the weekend. I came home and knew exactly what my options were and had everything on hand. Hopefully I will remain diligent with that. Despite all my preparation and the support of my amazing husband, I have been experiencing a lot of anxiety. The kind that twists my stomach in knots and makes me wonder just when I will toss my cookies. Also, even though I am a (nearly) 30-year old student with a husband and two kids, I feel a bit overlooked by some of the other students - it's like high school all over again. Hopefully, as my anxiety passes and I get to know everyone better, this too will pass.
As for the girls, they don't seem to be any worse for the wear. They miss us, but seem to have fun at school. They only cried two of the five days we went to school and I'm sure that will improve when they get used to our new routine. I'm not happy with the foods they are fed (taquitos, pancake-on-a-stick, pop tarts - seriously?), but their school is clean and the teachers are nice and they have been napping.
Prayers are appreciated. This is going to be hard on all of us.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Just When I Thought I Was Going to be Productive...
Yesterday I finally caught up on all my blog reading, so I thought it was (way) past time for me to update the world on my May. Pictures of the girls, trip to New York, and trip to Disney World. It's been a busy month. Just as I was about to put the SD card into the laptop, it turned itself off. What?!?! The only things running on my computer were my picture album and Internet Explorer with three tabs open. I checked to make sure it was still plugged in since the battery doesn't work anymore and the blue light told me it was. Yet, the darn thing won't turn back on. I push the button and nothing. I hold the button down and nothing. I'm at a loss. All I know is that ALL the pictures of my girls are on there and if I lose those I will be extremely upset. So any computer saavy people out there with any suggestions for me? I suppose I will just take it to the repair shop later today. If I am able to get my pictures back, any suggestions for how to handle digital photographs in the future? Thumb drive, CD, external hard drive? What's the best option? Any suggestions for new lap tops? Preferrably ones that don't shut themselves off randomly and refuse to start again.
Okay, must rescue my office from my coloring kids.
Okay, must rescue my office from my coloring kids.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Loving The Word
Julia found my Bible in my purse the other day and was carrying it around like a prized possession (she's so smart). Both girls received two Bibles (Gideon sized) as gifts when they were born, so I pulled them out and let them each have one. Now they both carry them everywhere with them and ask me to read it to them. Of course I oblige. The part that really makes me laugh about the whole thing is that when Julia says Bible, she says it like she's from the deep South. She also regularly looks for the pictures. It goes something like this:
Where pictures go?
Where go?
No more pictures.
Pictures gone.
Now Momma needs to take a lesson from her girls and pick up her own Bible more often.
Where pictures go?
Where go?
No more pictures.
Pictures gone.
Now Momma needs to take a lesson from her girls and pick up her own Bible more often.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Catching Up
For those of you that have been following the story of my frustration with my doctor's office, I finally have resolution for you. I went with the calling three times a day strategy until I got some answers. It took three days before I finally got to talk to the nurse. She said that all my results for all my lab work were good, except there was one that my doctor was unsure of and wanted to review with another doctor. She told me that he said it was his fault he hadn't done anything on it yet and that he planned to do it before noon that day. So I said, "Then theoretically I should get a phone call before the end of the day today?" I'm told yet. Good thing I didn't hold my breath. So I resumed my three times a day calls until I finally received a phone call 13 days after my blood was drawn for my titers. They thought my Hep B titer had come back negative. Turns out they ran the wrong test on it. And it apparently took them 13 DAYS to figure this out. Fortunately the lab girl I spoke with was surprisingly helpful. She told me they wouldn't charge for the test I didn't need done (gee, how sweet) and arranged for me to have it done at an office very near my house the same day. I tried to get a babysitter for the girls, but it was short notice, so I braved the trip to the office with the girls. My normally wild, all-over-the-place girls were angels. I put on my bravest face and smiled through the whole thing and told the girls exactly what was happening. Julia stuffed all her fingers in her mouth at once and cried the whole time my blood was being drawn. I kept telling her it didn't hurt and that Mommy was okay, but she was very upset for me. Amelia just stared and wasn't quite sure what to think. When the phlebotomist wrapped my arm in guaze they were afraid that I had an owie. "Just a little one," I told them. "It will be all better by the time we get home." The next day I was able to go pickup all my paperwork from my doctor's office, so I can finally get it to my school.
In more interesting news to all my Mommy readers out there, we have been working on potty training at our house. The girls were telling me they needed to potty often - and by often I mean that I felt as though I was spending my day in the bathroom. I wouldn't have minded if they actually did something up there aside from playing, but they weren't. It was just an excuse to get Mommy's undivided attention. In an effort to reward good potty behavior and curb "bad" potty behavior, I started giving two Reeses Pieces every time they actually did something on the potty. This seems to be working. Now we go diaperless most of the morning and part of the afternoon and both girls are really getting the hang of it. Julia has even started asking to go when we are out in public! This should add an unexpected twist to our Disney trip, but I think it's well-worth it.
Now for a laugh: Julia is still really enjoying her "Little Bunny Poopoo" song and both girls have added motions to it. They are really working hard at making bunny ears with their fingers. I had no idea it was all that tricky until I watched them try to do it.
Lastly, pray for wisdom for us as we go through the process of accepting and declining student loans. What a headache.
In more interesting news to all my Mommy readers out there, we have been working on potty training at our house. The girls were telling me they needed to potty often - and by often I mean that I felt as though I was spending my day in the bathroom. I wouldn't have minded if they actually did something up there aside from playing, but they weren't. It was just an excuse to get Mommy's undivided attention. In an effort to reward good potty behavior and curb "bad" potty behavior, I started giving two Reeses Pieces every time they actually did something on the potty. This seems to be working. Now we go diaperless most of the morning and part of the afternoon and both girls are really getting the hang of it. Julia has even started asking to go when we are out in public! This should add an unexpected twist to our Disney trip, but I think it's well-worth it.
Now for a laugh: Julia is still really enjoying her "Little Bunny Poopoo" song and both girls have added motions to it. They are really working hard at making bunny ears with their fingers. I had no idea it was all that tricky until I watched them try to do it.
Lastly, pray for wisdom for us as we go through the process of accepting and declining student loans. What a headache.
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