I know, I know it's been just a little while since I have posted anything. Hopefully that will change now.
I graduated!!! Hard to believe it's over, but it is. Now, there is just the "big test" to take. My work paid for a "Kaplan" course that helps you prepare for taking boards. For me, it was more confusing. The instructor taught us a way to break down the question to help decide the answer. However, the answer that they wanted at times seemed to go against the things taught in school. I have been taking practice test after practice test. Some I pass and some I don't. I don't have my board test scheduled yet. I have to first get my "authorization to test" from the state of Missouri and then schedule the test itself. I have 90 days from graduation to take it. While I'm not going to wait the 90 days, I'm not going to take it until I feel more confidant. Besides, it costs $200 each time you take the test.
The kids are enjoying summer. This is the first year they are not going to summer school. There has been a change in plans and Noelle will not be going to Australia after all this summer. This seems to be a good thing since she got back late last night (about 1:30 this morning) from spending the week in Mississippi with her church group. They left Saturday and spent the week helping with vacation bible school and visiting some men and women's group homes to share the word of God. She said that by Tuesday morning she was crying missing us and said that two weeks would be too long to be away and she is glad she is staying home.
I start orientation on the telemetry (heart) floor this next week. The whole orientation last about four months. I am a bit overwhelmed knowing that I have EKG, basic heart monitoring and ACLS classes coming up while trying to study for my boards at the same time. I have been doing so much praying that I'm sure God is thinking "her again"! No, I know that I can never turn to him too much.
Michael is going to soccer camp this summer. It is two nights a week through June and July. He went for the first time last week and was the only boy. He loved it and is looking forward to being able to use the skills he learns in the fall for his games. He played this spring and his team won two, tied one and lost three. Much better than last fall. He has a doctors appointment tomorrow at Children's Mercy for his skin. It had not been so bad this winter, but he is really having some issues now. I'm sure that part of it is the mold count due to all of the rain we have been having. We are going to talk to them about doing allergy testing. We had discussed it before, but they didn't feel it was necessary. I'm going to insist this time. With eczema there tend to be food allergies.
Noelle is looking forward to starting middle school in the fall and having a locker. I am not. It's hard to believe she is 11 and ready for lockers and those kinds of things. Every time I say that, my dad says "think how I feel when I think how old you are". The last time he mentioned that, he felt the need to say "soon you will be 40!". I didn't think he needed to mention that. I am planning on taking her to Chicago before school starts. She wants to go to the American Girl store and I want to take her shopping for something special for her first day of school. More than anything, I just want to spend some one on one time with her. She has grown up so much in the last few years. With being in school two times in the last three, I have missed a lot. I know it won't make up for lost time, but I feel it will help to lay the important foundation needed for open communication in the years to come.
Today the kids and I are watching Jack and Riley. I can't believe how big they have gotten! We took them to McDonald's and the boys shoveled food in like they had never eaten before. They actually ate their french fries as opposed to Noelle who would tear them in half, suck out the potato and hand back the skin. They both love Noelle and Michael so much. Jack tends to gravitate towards Michael, who is of course a clown, because he is always doing something to make Jack laugh. Riley loves Noelle and if she puts him down or leaves the room he scrunches up his face and does a pretend little "if you leave I'm going to really scream loud" expression. I have taken a few pictures today and will get them posted hopefully tomorrow.
I guess that's it for now. I let everyone know what we find out tomorrow.
