Halloween 2014

Because of our kitchen being out of sorts, we did not host our annual Halloween party.  Instead we went trick or treating with some friends at Chelsea Park.  The wind was so wild and cold, it was the quickest candy gettin' ever!

Nursing School

I got my acceptance letter to UAB's nursing school yesterday.  I'm so excited as I'm finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel!  I start in January.

Below is my application essay:

“My mom wants to be a nurse when she grows up.”  This is chatter I often hear from my oldest child while he discusses his dreams of being a professional baseball player with friends.  Originally, I chose a different path.  For me, my computer science degree led to a life of technology and mundane days but a healthy paycheck.  I knew then I had a caregiver’s spirit, but I ignored my intuition.  As my children grew to school age, I found it very hypocritical for me to preach to them about focusing on activities that bring them the greatest joy if I weren’t following my same advice. 

My natural inclination led to my interest in nursing.  I find immeasurable satisfaction and gratification in caring for others.  I want a career in which I can fully invest myself into the well-being of patients.  Maya Angelou once said, “As a nurse we have the opportunity to heal the mind, soul, heart, and body of our patients, their families and ourselves.  They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”  Maya’s words hold true because a successful nurse must not only possess classroom knowledge but important character qualities as well.  I am confident in my ability to balance a fast-paced day with a compassionate heart and a listening ear, all the while maximizing each patient’s quality of life during the healing process.  

            In the short time I have spent shadowing the nursing staff and CRNP in Springville, my eyes have been opened to a variety of different career options nursing can provide.  While I feel that caring for the pediatric population is my calling, the possibilities within a nursing career are limitless.  I am eager to explore each one.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has an exemplary nursing program.  An education from UAB will ensure a solid nursing foundation and maximize my efforts and experiences as a caregiver.  My family is rooted in the Birmingham area, and I would like to continue my studies in this premier program.  Though I am not a traditional student, one never stops learning.  I am going to be a nurse when I grow up, and I am looking forward to it.

The Friday Five

1. Logan is learning to write in cursive this year.  He's really great at it - may be better than his print - and gets so excited about it.....for example, "Hey mom, come look at this awesome 'g' I just wrote!"
2. We are not having our annual Halloween party tonight due to our unfinished kitchen project. However, we are looking forward to dinner and trick or treating with some friends in another neighborhood tonight.
3. Evan lost his 6th tooth last week and got another $10 from the tooth fairy.  I love his toothless grin.
4. Logan played his first 2 kid pitch games this week.  He and his team did a great job!
5. I got accepted into UAB's nursing school!!  I got my acceptance letter yesterday!!

4K Farmer Day

Layne's Dance Halloween Party

New Life's Fall Festival

New Life's fall festival is always our favorite!  Logan had baseball practice, so it was just me, Evan, and Layne (and she decided to be Princess Sophia today).

Boopalooza

This year's Halloween costumes:

Logan - Amari Cooper

Evan - Thor

Layne - Elsa

Boopalooza was our first fall carnival of the year.  It was fun, but so so so crowded!!

Layne's 1st Field Trip

I went with Layne's 4K class to Old Baker Farm today.

She kept reminding me that she was on a big girl field trip just like "the brothers" get to go on.

She has such a sweet class of friends and of course her and Brooke held hands everywhere they went.

Evan's Samford Field Trip

Evan's class went on a field trip to Samford today to watch "Junie B. Jones".  Chris went as one of the chaperons because I had a midterm in one of my classes.  Evan also lost another top tooth Sunday, which you can see in the top picture.  The tooth fairy apparently has WAY too much going on because she/he forgot to come Sunday night but made up for it Monday night....