Back to School

I have made a big decision in my life recently. I have decided to go back to school and get my Master's degree. I made the decision this past May and everything kind of moved fast from there. I looked into different schools and ultimately decided to go to Carson-Newman College. I decided not to go through TTU because their Masters program is completely online. As good as that first sounded (no daycare for the kids, do classes on my own time) I am just not dedicated enough to keep on task and learn all that I will need to learn on my own. I decided not to go to UT because it seemed almost impossible to get in there! They require you to have a competitive GRE score (which I haven't even taken yet, so I don't know how well I will do). And there was some class you have to take before you can start the program. And I wouldn't have been able to start the program until next Fall. And I would have talked myself out of going in that amount of time! It just seemed like a lot of trouble to me! The only thing that I still think about was that UT has a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner program. I would ultimately like to work in women's health, but I will still be able to do that with a Family Nurse Practitioner degree (which is the degree I will be getting).

This program at Carson-Newman will take me 5 semesters and I will graduate in May 2011. Sometimes that seems like a long time away, but I know it will go by fast and I will be glad I have done this. My classes will be 2 days a week this semester. And then the other semesters will be classes one day a week and clinicals 2 days a week. I start classes on Wednesday August 26th and I am very nervous! Please keep me in your prayers as I begin this journey. I know it will be tough and even seem impossible at times. I am going to require a lot of help with the kids and I am not very good at asking for help with them. I always feel so guilty! But I know that I will need help.

Speaking of that...the kids are starting daycare on Tuesday. I am very nervous for them but also know that this will be good for them. For those of you who are around me and my kids a lot, you know that my kids are VERY clingy. Which they have every right to be. I have been staying home with Taylor since she was 8 months old and I have stayed home with Liam his whole life. So they have just gotten used to me always being around. Daycare will be very strange and difficult for them but I know that they will be taken very good care of. And this will be good for them! (I just have to keep telling myself that!) They will be going 2 days a week and then still be home with me the rest of the time.

So please keep me and my family in your prayers as we begin this new journey. I am anxious and nervous and am really just ready to get started. I am sure that in a few weeks I will be wishing it was over!