Ten Days.

I am two exams and two half clinical days away from graduation.  That makes for two weeks...well, 10 days.  Here is a run-down of how the last couple of years have gone:

Nov '08:   Decided over a couple glasses of wine and Thanksgiving dinner that I wanted to be a nurse.

Dec '08:   I registered for pre-reqs on Christmas Eve.

Jan '09:   I started A&P 101, Math 118, and Psych.

May '09:   Rocked my A&P class.  Signed up for another

Aug '09:   Struggled through an online A&P 102, needed a ridiculously high grade to get an A.  Beat it.

Aug '09:   Took my TEAS (entrance) exam completely blindly immediately after returning from a trip to visit best friend in Chicago.  Got a 97, by the grace of God. (I didn't realize there was preparation involved.  This is not me being cocky.  I got lucky.)

Aug '09:   Found out we were expecting Leo.

Sept '09:   I got my acceptance letter.  Called Adam asking what I was going to do.  He responded, "You're going to go to nursing school."

Jan '10:   Started the program.  Terrified.

Feb '10:   Started clinicals.  More terrified.

April '10:   Had baby Leo.

May '10:   Finished the first semester.

May-August '10:   Had the best summer of my life.

August '10:   Back to school.  Found out I could graduate earlier than planned.  Elated.

Nov '10:   Applied for Student Externship at WHS.

Jan '11:  Enrolled in Mental Health Nursing.  Had a lot of free time.  Consequently...

Feb '11:   Found out we were expecting new baby.

Mar '11:   Got selected for one of 15 spots (out of 120 applicants) for externship at WHS.

Apr '11:   Had a terrible time with school.  Second-guessed entire decision.  Made it through anyway.

May '11:   Finally found a calling in Maternal/Child.

May '11:   Started last 10 weeks.  Kind of enjoy it.  A lot. 

June '11:   Counting down days.

July '11 (July 12, 2011, to be exact):    My last day of lecture.  Here I sat:

Note: It's a six-hour lecture.  Lunch is required.

I started school when I was 29.  I remember being discouraged by the fact that I would be 31 when I graduated.  Patrick was to be three.  It seemed like an eternity away.  Here I am, 31, and Patrick is three.  The truth is, it was going to happen anyway.  The difference is that I went for it, and even though the time was going to tick by regardless of my decision, I am much happier now than I could have imagined then.

Also starting school, I didn't expect to make close friends.  I was grown.  I had close friends.  Then, on the first day of school, I timidly sat next to Courtney.  I swore she didn't like me.  Two years later, I spend as much time talking to her as I do my family.  We make a good team.  Here we are, on the last day of class, looking pretty much exactly as we did on the very first (even with a baby in tow.)

The rush of emotions at the end of this marathon is indescribable, and maybe I sound ridiculous.  I'm very (very, very, very) proud of all of us.  My friends, my family, everyone deserves a little recognition.  So, thank you.  Really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.  All of you.