I first went to community college at 18. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had always been a decent student, but put more time into waiting tables and making money during high school than applying myself to my studies. My dad thought it would be best if I lived at home for a year or two, continued to work, and went to school at a nearby community college. It was a great idea in theory. The summer after high school graduation, I left my steady job at Southern Recipe Cafe, a local suburban diner, and headed out for the exciting world of big city/ big money waitressing. I landed a job at The Melting Pot. During the Fall of 1997, I showed up for classes (most of the time), and managed to complete the semester with a B, a C, and a D+. My dad was less than thrilled and informed me that the next semester would be on my own dime. So, I registered and paid for Spring classes with some of my hard earned money. I don't remember if I ever went that semester, but I did end up withdrawing in time to get a "W" on my transcript for the three class I had enrolled in. That January, I moved out of my parent's home, got a second job cocktail waitressing at The Flying Saucer and really began my adventures as a grown up. As an 18/19 year old waitress in Dallas you can make pretty decent money. I was probably making about $40,000 a year. (shhhh. Don't tell Uncle Sam. Before debit cards, we didn't claim hardly any of our tips). So when you're that young making that kind of money, you think that you've got it made. What did I need with school and a higher education? I had a cool apartment, nice clothes, and plenty of spending money for nights out with friends. It would be a few years before the image of being a 60 year old in orthopedic shoes working at the Waffle House would pop into my head. So... I continued on with my happy life-- going to watch my friend's band play shows all over Dallas (shout out to Grassroots Willie), going to concerts with friends (Jane's Addiction, Ben Harper, The BB King Blues Festival, Dave Matthews, etc..), and bar hopping with my older friends and my fake ID. And in between all of the fun, I would work-- which was also fun b/c in the world of bars and restaurants, your co-workers become your family. Servers and bartenders have crazy schedules and so your friends by default are a bunch of people in the service industry. Let me also say, that during this time, all of my closest friends from high school had left Dallas and were attending colleges and universities all over the country. Many of my server friends were college grads who were pursuing dreams that they hadn't had time for in college or were waiting tables while they waited to land their dream job..I was the baby of the group, and I was blessed to be surrounded by a bunch of cool people who would share their life experiences with me, and who really took me under their wing and treated me like their little sister.
In November of 1998, I met Wes. I was 19 (soon to be 20) and working at the Flying Saucer on Greenville Ave. He was a 26 year old divorcee with a 2 year old son who was working as a bouncer at another bar on Greenville Ave. Our meeting was unconventional. It was the type of meeting that spawns a one night stand- not a lifetime of love. But rest assured, our meeting was no accident. 
So, most of you know how the next 10 years went. We had a baby, got married, had another baby. From 1999-2004 I worked in different medical offices, as part of the front office staff. Then in 2004, I quit my job outside of the home to take on the full time gig of the daily nourishment and enrichment of our then 4 year old son and 4 month old daughter. It was by far the best gig I ever accepted, and I am grateful everyday that I had the opportunity to be at home with our children. Those years are the greatest gift that Wes has ever or could ever give to me.
So, I was going to talk about school..Right? I'm getting there. I promise. So, sometime in 2006 (likely after Grace had weaned), I began thinking about what I would do when she joined her brother at school full time. What was I going to be? I desired to do more and be more. I didn't want to return to a job where I wasn't reaching my full potential. I loved the medical field, but wanted to really work with the patients (and not just their payments). And though I had doubted my own intelligence from time to time, I knew that my mind was worth more than what I had been previously earning. However, if anyone else was going to pay me what I thought I deserved, I would need a degree to back it up. I was encouraged by a friend of mine with 5 children who had just returned to school. I thought, well if she can do it, surely I can too. Wes encouraged me to go after this dream and generously agreed to fund this endeavor. I was excited and terrified and so unsure of the unknown, but I decided to take the plunge anyways. So in the Spring of 2007, I enrolled in school and began taking the classes I would need to get into a nursing program.
Because I was still a full time Mama, I could only take a few classes a semester. The first semester I went at night, then later chose day classes that were on the two days that Grace was at preschool. I also took classes online. It was important that I maintain a 4.0 (or as close to that as possible) in order to get into a nursing program. There is a nationwide shortage of nursing instructors, leaving a limited number of seats in each program, thus making entrance into nursing schools VERY competitive. In May of 2009, I was accepted into the only nursing program I had applied to. However, I had to turn down my spot as we had decided just weeks before to relocate for Wes' job from Dallas, TX to Madison, IN. I was a bit heartbroken, but I had already researched nursing programs where we were headed, and as luck (or destiny) would have it, there was a school with a nursing program 5 minutes from our new home.
Shortly after moving to Indiana, I met with an advisor regarding admission into Ivy Tech's nursing program. All of the big classes would transfer from Dallas (Chemistry, Microbiology, etc..), but apparently it had been 10 years since I had taken English (remember 1997--gosh it didn't seem that far away). So, I would need to retake that course, and a few others before applying to their nursing program. I enrolled that Fall (2009) and got busy-once again- working on my pre-reqs. In June of 2010, I was admitted into the Fall 2010 nursing class. I would begin nursing school as Hunter started 5th grade and Gracie started 1st grade. It was perfect! We would all be in school full time--as there is no such thing as attending nursing school part time. Once again, I was excited and terrified, but ready to face whatever lied ahead. I had been a good student and was sure that nothing could be harder than the Chemistry class I took from the 103 year old professor in Dallas. **Okay, maybe he wasn't 103, but he typed all of our tests on a typewriter using legal sized paper and all questions (including the cumulative final), were fill in the blank. He would also give advice on life like, "Don't watch TV. It's made by the devil and meant to rot your brain".**
Let me now say that the only thing I can reasonably compare nursing school to is motherhood. People can tell you all day long what it will be like, but until you are in the midst of it, you really cannot comprehend what you have been told. I didn't think nursing school would be easy, but I also didn't think it would be that hard.. I had no idea how much I would have to rely on my family, my friends, and vanilla vodka to get me through.
