I'm GRADUATING!! :)

Well, Class of 2010...WE DID IT! All 40 of us, graduating together! Like a good friend described, we've bcome a 40 person family! We came a long way over the last 16 months together, and I'm am proud and honored to know all of you. Thank you for your help and support, and for some of the best memories of my life. My girls, you know who you are, let's always keep in touch no matter where life takes us! You've become a huge part of my life and my heart, and I love you all so much!

So...what's next for me? A week of graduation fun next week, the Kaplan NCLEX review the following week, job interviews, taking (and hopefully passing) the NCLEX, and a job...if it all works out as I plan! :) Today, my first day after my last final, felt weird...weird but great! One side of my mind is still spinning in school mode, and the other side is so ready to relax. I'm sure it'll hit me after next week...once everyone has left, I've gone through graduation, and I'm actually learning how to "do" life outside of school again! I can't wait to be a wife and enjoy my husband...not just sit in the same room with him while I do homework. Thank you, Jon, for your support and love through all of this! What a tail spin we started last January...but I wouldn't have it any other way! I love you, and I couldn't have done this without you! Mom, what a crazy year! Thanks for understanding and supporting me everytime we talked. To the rest of my friends and family...thank you for your encouragement, phone call, emails, and cards...I can't wait to catch up with you all! :)

Well...yesterday I was a college student...today I'm a nurse! Crazy how things can change in a day!! :) I'll post pictures of all the graduation festivities soon. Send good thoughts my way for a job...something that will work for Jon and I both! I'll keep you posted along the way...and let you know when I get my NCLEX date! For now...lots of love from AZ!!

Bittersweet days...

Well...I'm officially done with clinical rotations for school! Yesterday was my last day in the NICU at Cardon Children's. It was a great day to end on...learned SO much and felt very confident. I was so flattered by all the well wishes and congratulations I got from those I've worked with over the last month there. I have truly enjoyed every second of working in the NICU, and though I did not want to leave, I know that graduation is right around the corner now, and I'll be getting payed to do this! :) I haven't nailed down a job yet, but am working on it. I met many great contacts at the hospital I was just at, and I'm applying to other open positions this week. Wish me luck...I'll keep you posted!

Other than that, not much has changed! Mom came out to visit me this last week. We got all of my announcements out (I only ordered 30, so please don't feel bad if you didn't get one...I barely had enough to cover family!), and started planning for graduation events. I can't believe it's only 26 days away! I have 2 exams and a presentation...and that's about it! Feels like I just walked in the door and learned how to take blood pressures! We've come a long way in 15 months!!!

I hope you're all well and enjoying Spring! It's starting to warm up around here, but the evenings are gorgeous! Sending lots of love from AZ!

The Countdown Continues!

Sorry it's taken me a while to post anything! This last few weeks has been fun, great, and VERY busy! All that to say...37 DAYS TIL GRADUATION! I have been having a blast in my preceptorship in the NICU. Each time I go, I feel a little more confident, and take on more responsibilities...and it helps that my preceptor nurse is awesome! She is kind and patient, and she is very supportive! I've seen some pretty amazing things in there too...and I can't wait to be a nurse and take care of these tiny babies for my job! I just found out that the hospital I'm at has a position open in the NICU, and I'm talking with the managers and HR to see if they would consider a new grad for the position! If not, I heard that another hospital (about 45 minutes away) is taking new grads, so I might try to get in there and try to come back to after I have some experience. We'll see!! Think happy thoughts for me though!!

Aside from school, things have been going pretty smoothly around here. Lady is growing fast, getting into everything she can, and being an adorable puppy. She drives me crazy sometimes, but I think that comes with the puppy territory! :) She's very smart too...too smart for her own good! Her and PoliAna (my cat) get along pretty well, but Poli lets Lady know when playtime is over. During Spring Break a couple weeks ago, Jon and I went to the "Hangar Cafe" at the Chandler Airport (a small, local airport) a few times to eat and watch the planes. He had the chance to talk to a few different flight instructors, and found one that he got along with well to help him finish up his private pilot's license. He's so close to being done, and he loves it...so I'm really glad he'll finally get it done! My mom is coming next week for a visit. We have some shopping to do (YES!), and we are going to plan my graduation party! It's going to be at my house on Friday evening, May 14th...for any of you who want to venture this way! It shouldn't be too hot yet! :)

Hope you all had a great Easter, and are enjoying Spring. Can't believe it's April already! I swear, the years go faster and faster... Lots of love from AZ!!

It's already 1/2 way through March?

Wow! Time flies when you're having fun...or in Nursing School! :) Haha...or both! I have been so lucky in my rotations through nursing school! I've gotten great nurses, and great hospitals, and I'm really loving it! On the other hand...I'm not sure it's humanly possible to be any more excited to graduate in 64 DAYS!!! :) I just finished up my Critical Care rotation. My group was lucky to be at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Scottsdale. It was a bit of a drive each morning, but what a cool experience to be there! I learned so much and really enjoyed my time there. The ICU is quite an intense place, and I saw things I may never see again. Next (and last) order of business for school...my preceptorship in the NICU at Banner Desert/Cardon Children's Medical Center. I'm SOOOOOO excited! I haven't talked to my preceptor yet (just got her name yesterday), but I can't wait to find out her schedule and get started! We'll be doing 9 shifts in 4 weeks, and I'm really excited about how much I know I'll learn. I'll keep you posted...on that and graduation!!

Today is Mom's brithday!! :) Happy Birthday Mom!! She turns ?? today! :) Haha...she'd kill me! Anyways, wish we could celebrate together, but we'll make up for it soon! Have a fun, special day today! Sending big hugs and kisses your way!

Friday is Jon's birthday! We don't have plans yet, but I'm sure it'll be a fun day...whatever we decide!

Lady went on her first trip to the snow last weekend! We packed her up and headed north to Greer (about 30 minutes East of Show Low/Pinetop for those of you who are familiar...) with some friends. We got a cabin and had a blast! The people we were staying with went skiing and snowboarding on Saturday, and Jon and I took Lady to a sledding hill to see if she would like the snow. She LOVED it! :) She was pouncing around, chasing snowballs, digging in the snow, eating the snow...it was so cute, and so much fun!! Here are a few picures...

Introducing our little "Lady"

We've had a recent new addition to our family! "Lady" is 1/2 Blue Heeler, and 1/2 Australian Shepherd. She is almost 12 weeks old, and she's a really good girl! In just a couple days we've almost got a handle on potty training, she's figured out the doggy door, she loves to play, and really loves to cuddle. She is a special girl, and has been so fun to love on! Here are a few pictures...look for more as she grows!

Sweet Kellie, Precious Angel

Sweet Kellie girl...We miss you so much! You were so perfect and special, and life will never be the same without you. You were a part of us, and will always stay in a very special place in my heart. You helped bring your dad and me together, you always knew what to do and when to do it, you could look at me and know what I was thinking...and I could do the same with you, you had the sweetest spirit and the most loving heart, you were patient, you were so smart, you were more than I ever could have asked for. You changed my life in the best way, and no words could ever decribe how special you were, you are, to us. "Kellie Girl," "Baby Dog," "Pretty," thank you for the memories...I love you so very, very much!

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." You sure did, Sweet Girl...you made our lives whole!!

Bringing you up to speed...

So, to keep it simple...this semester started out WAY busier than I expected! I mean, I knew we would be busy, but I really had no idea of the intensity. I know I promised a highlights of 2009 post...but is it ok if I stick with a few bullet point highlights? :) I'll give you a quick replay of 2009, and let you know what's up these days!

• Jon and I got married on January 3, 2009. It was the best day of my whole life! Our wedding was at The North Chapel at Liberty Station in San Diego, and our reception was at South Bay Fish and Grill...a gorgeous restaurant right on the water. What an amazing night it was!
• We moved to Gilbert, AZ on January 10, 2009. Yes...I wrote that right...We were moving in to our house exactly a week after the wedding. Talk about a busy week!
• I started Nursing School at Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus on January 20th. It's a year-round 16 month BSN program (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). Jon still tells people that we went to Nursing School for our honeymoon! :)
• Not much other than school to report about from then through much later in the year! :)
• I turned 30 on October 1st! And, I must say...it's not so bad after all!
• We got our first break from school in December. We had 6 weeks off...that flew by faster than I ever expected! Our plan was to go to Bakersfield for a few days to see my fam, then San Diego for a few days to see Jon's fam, and then back home with a couple weeks to spare before school started back up. Well...like I said...that was the plan. What actually happened was, my mom ended up in the hospital a day and a half after I got there, and we were in the hospital until New Year's Eve!! I won't go into the details (cause there's ALOT of them), but she's home and getting better, and that's a huge step in the right direction! Jon was such a HUGE support and help during those 2 weeks. I really wouldn't have made it through without him there. We finally made it to San Diego on our 1st anniversary and stayed at the Dana Resort...where we stayed on the night of our wedding. It was a very restful and special night, and a very needed get away for the 2 of us.
• We got back home around the 7th of January, and I spent a few days putting away Christmas decorations and getting the house back to normal. Even though we had a week before school started to "relax," time flew by and before we knew it, I was back in school starting my last semester of Nursing School...

...Which leads us to right around now...We got back to school on January 19th, and hit the ground running. We're in Critical Care (ICU) right now, and the last half of the semester is a preceptorship where we are partnered with a nurse and actually work his or her schedule. I'm excited and nervous and anxious...but mostly excited! After that is the NCLEX exam (the national licensure exam for nurses) and then a J-O-B...hopefully! :) Graduation is May 13th...106 days away!! It's truly been one of the most challenging journeys of my life, but so rewarding and amazing at the same time! I hope you all had a wonderful and special Christmas and New Years! I hope 2010 is off to a good start and brings lots of great memories and special moments! Lots of love from AZ!!