And five months later...

Yeah, so much for the financially stable. We're still flat broke. Things don't seem to ever work out as well as we planned. We're doing a little better. And we're down to around a year before I'm getting a paycheck that will actually help. Don't think we're fixing up this house though, I think we're going to look around for another one. We really need a little more space, plus I think we're going to stay in this area quite a while, so we'd better provide for family stuff. It's exciting.

We fianally got the wedding plans going too. It looks like we've got Davis Park in Anderson on Saturday June 14, 2008. We're not doing anything big, really. Just a simple ceremony and some picnic kinds of food for the reception. Now that we've got things booked I've started trying to find all the little decorations and stuff for the church. And I've got to order invitations. I'd never realized the ridiculous amounts of money people will charge for the little pieces of paper with a little bit of writing on it. We don't have to bother planning and paying for a honeymoon, we can't afford that at the moment. Nor are we likely to be able to anytime soon. I still have to get a dress and all that good stuff. Since we're kind of going for a hippie theme, I've asked a company I've ordered from before to make me a really cool version of a dress they already have. Haven't heard back from them yet, but I'm really hoping it works out. Chris' outfit should be really easy to put together, since it's basically cargo shorts, a dress shirt, and a vest. I'm growing my hair out, which has already been irritating. Once my bangs get into my eyes I get annoyed, and as I recall that stage lasts at least a good three months. Chris has got a good six month jump on me, since he already started growing his out.

The whole nursing school thing is still moving along too. Don't know quite how I made it through the last semester. It positively sucked. Supposedly the next semester is easy and it won't wear all of us out so badly. We're all really close to graduating. I actually find that frightening. I have almost no idea what I'm doing. I know the book information pretty well, of course. I just havent' gotten to do many procedures. I guess nobody does when they graduate. I'll bet after a couple of months of actually being a nurse I'll have a lot of it down. Just right now the thought of having to take care of patients on my own isn't entirely pleasant. I guess I've got a while longer to get used to it.

Update

Wow, it's been a while. There's been a little bit going on. I passed Nursing 330, and am now in the hellish land of 340. The actual class isn't that bad, but clinicals are rough. Just my luck that I get the toughest clinical instructor. The bad part is we don't really get chances to do a lot of procedures, so I still haven't had the chance to start an IV or do a dressing change. I guess I may not get a chance to do a lot of it until I get an SNT job or graduate. Kind of scary. At least I finally got a chance to start an IV catheter.

So Chris and I actually live together now. It's been nice to not to have to go back and forth between places. Once we get the apartment cleaned out and don't have to pay rent anymore we'll actually be financially stable. That will be so nice. We already act like an old married couple. It's not a bad thing at all. We actually get along really well, and not maintaining separate places has just made us closer. Plus one of us is actually home most of the time, so we got Savannah back from Mom and Dad. I forgot how much I enjoyed having a dog around. We've got all kinds of plans for fixing up the house. We're planning on starting a saltwater aquarium. I know it sounds random, but those little plans are so nice to have. That way we've always got something to look forward to. We've already gone appliance shopping and got a new stove and fridge. This summer we're getting a new washer and dryer, and maybe a flat panel TV. Little by little we're getting nicer stuff and fixing up the house. If it weren't for nursing school being rough my life would be perfect right now, but I'm not gonna complain too much, because this is better than most people ever get to have it.

Tired

I feel like I've spent the last three months trying to run up an icy hill. For every three steps I take I seem to slide back four. I'm working so hard. I've still got two jobs and it looks like I need to get a third again. I just can't seem to make enough to get by. And Christopher, bless him, is struggling so hard too and yet he still tries to help me. He's such a sweet and good-hearted person. Right now I'm just hoping and praying that I can scrape through for the time being and be strong enough to get through the rest of nursing school. I just want to be done and settled and not struggling.

Just a little update...

I've been working all summer and yet have not managed to save any money, or really to accomplish anything in particular. Well, I guess I am a little harder to gross out after a summer as a home health aide. That may prove to be a good thing. I leave the country in a little over a week, and will be gone until right before classes start again. I'm suddenly realizing how many things I should take care of before I leave. Mild state of panic coming on here. Plus I'm gonna miss everybody. I don't know anybody on the trip all that well, of course with 24 hours on a plane before we land anywhere it's very possible I could make friends early on. I am excited about the trip itself. I've always wanted to see Austrailia, and Malaysia and Thailand are like mega bonuses. There's no way it can be anything short of awesome, which is a good thing as it cost a small fortune.
Speaking of small fortunes, my financial situation is going to be interesting this year. I don't have all that much in savings. Of course I have the potential to make plenty of money during the year as I will have three jobs, but there's no way to tell if I will have the energy or the time. If I had to pay my tuition I'm not sure what I would do. The half scholarship I get helps my parents somewhat, but tuition is still way too much, and I don't seem to be worthy of any other scholarships. Oh well. I guess I'll have money or I won't, and the schedule will work out or it won't. Worrying about it isn't going to do me any good if I'm halfway around the world.

Just for fun...

You Are Austin

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll.You're totally weird and very proud of it.Artistic and freaky, you still seem to fit in... in your own strange way. Famous Austin residents: Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Andy Roddick

What American City Are You?

Your Inner Blood Type is Type B

You follow your own rules in life, even if you change the rules every day.Sure, you tend to be off the wall and unpredictable, but that's what makes you lovable.And even though you're a wild child, you have the tools to be a great success.You are able to concentrate intently - and make the impossible possible. You are most compatible with: B and AB Famous Type B's: Leonardo Di Caprio and

What's" Your Inner Blood Type?

finals...

There are definitely pros and cons to finals week. For one, I often get out of finals ungodly ridiculously early. That is sometimes a pro. It is not, however, a pro when I'm exhausted and still have to go to work in an hour. Then I just have to find someplace to park myself and stay awake till I go work myself half to death for minimum wage. Some people can nap in public, but the thought of it just makes me a little nervous. With my luck somebody would steal my bag and my shoes. At any rate, here's one final down and three to go. This may in fact be a surviveable week.