Last Day of Class!

Today I had my last day of class. I can't believe this day has finally arrived. It is such a good feeling. However, I am sad that I won't be able see my nursing friends on a regular basis. Oh, we have plans to get together every three months to catch up, but it will be different not spending time with them as often as I have the last two years.

When I started this journey, we had been living here in Utah a little over a year. My babies (twin daughters) had graduated from high school and had left home and were off to college. For the first time in twenty-seven years, I did not have children at home to keep me busy. I didn't realize that my life would change so drastically and so suddenly. Not only were our children moving out and on with their lives, but I had left behind a life that I had built for fourteen years full of friends and familiarity in Memphis. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to be living here. I just needed something productive to keep me busy, shopping and lunch dates are fun for only so long.

Through the years I had been going to school off and on working towards a nursing degree. So when I came to the realization that I needed a life, I knew that I needed to apply to a nursing program to see if I would be accepted. I think I had resigned to the fact that I would not be accepted because when I got my acceptance letter I was excited, but I thought, "Oh, I guess I have to do this now". Well, I am so glad that I did. It has been one of the hardest things I have done, but also one of the most rewarding.

So here is to no more case studies, service hours, clinical journals, clinical hours, group presentations, ugly green scrubs, etc, etc. But, I only get a short reprieve of a couple of weeks, and then I must begin to prepare for my state board exam. If I don't pass that exam I will not be able to practice as a nurse.

I haven't heard back from the residency positions that I applied to. I heard through the grapevine that for one of the positions that I applied, there were over 100 applicants for only 16 available positions. Yeah, I am going to need more than fingers crossed, I am going to need a miracle. Oh well, I am sure something will work out.

Here are some pictures compliments of my great friend Wendy. The first photo is our group photo. The last picture is a few of us celebrating by going out to lunch. To my fellow nursing students I say, thank you it has been alot of fun!