Baby come out now

The only reason I can see my feet in this pic is because I am leaning forward just a bit. I am not miserable, but I'm just uncomfortable enough. We all want to meet the little guy so I have been talking to him every day, begging to come out and see us. We're ready Charley, any time now!

I can't believe it's over

It was an intense 2 years, but we did it! Nursing school is a thing of the past, and I have the very first college degree of my life. Even with everyone congratulating me and telling me what an accomplishment this is, I guess it still hasn't quite set in yet. Maybe after I pass NCLEX and get that first paycheck...

It hasn't sunk in yet

The fact that I am officially done with nursing school, that is. I can't believe it's actually over. The last 2 years seem like a complete blur. If I weren't distracted by the fact that I'm going to have another child in a few weeks then I really might be tripping out. Crazy.

There's a party in my tummy...

It's a pretty cool feeling to have a little person growing inside of my body. He's certainly a very active, healthy little guy! I'll have pictures soon for those who haven't seen my current round state :)

Oncology here I come!

SO excited! I got a call today from the recruiter at Renown saying she spoke with the unit manager in oncology and they will be saving a position for me until August!!! I was so worried that I'd miss out on a job because I wasn't able to apply right away due to the new addition. I was advised to apply right away by my current boss, and I did. I got a call the very next day but it was too late to call her back. I called her back today and played a little phone tag (always fun when you are waiting for important news!). Well, today on my lunch break I got the good news! I will start August 9th. Fortunately we will be able to work our schedules so that the little one won't need to go to daycare...he'll only be 8 weeks old when I go back, so that was a concern. Anyhow, I can't believe this time has actually come! I have been working SO MANY years, it feels like I'm in a dream. Once I pass the boards (and I am taking great measures to ensure that I pass the first time around), I will start out making the most money I've ever made in my life. From there it's all about paying down debt, saving a down, and then buy a house! It's all coming together!!!

Update

Don't adjust your screen, I am actually posting again. I just had to share an update. The letter I received today said "Congratulations! Your application for graduation is approved pending completion of currently enrolled classes required for your degree..." I can't believe it's already here. It feels amazing to have finally accomplished something. Most folks my age have at least one degree, if not a whole career. I'm past the point in life where a high school degree counts as a major accomplishment, so this couldn't have come at a better time! Just think, this time next year I will have a full-on career.


Oh, and speaking of accomplishments, I have toothless here who is doing amazing in the first grade, and reading at a 2nd grade level:





Not to mention 27 weeks under my belt (literally):




Unfortunately, the unplanned last 27 weeks will mean a lapse in time between graduation and working, but it will be worth it to have the summer off with my boys. Now just cross your fingers that I can get a job secured 2 months later than the rest of my classmates.

Oh-Em-Gee!

Just a quick post to let everyone know I haven't forgotten about them, I have just been crazy busy!!! If this last semester doesn't send me to the mental health facility we visited last semester then it will all be worth it. Honey, Rachelle, not trying to scare you but get ready! The application process for licensure is enough to drive you up the wall. Save your pennies, because you are going to need all of them at the end here. It is costing me a fortune! Testing and license application alone is almost $400! So, I must work one day a week, which doesn't seem like alot, but it's a huge dent in my study time. And don't go and get pregnant like I did. Even though it totally wasn't planned- I'm not THAT crazy! I'm trying to figure out how I am going to go full term with all this stress. I'll be amazed if I don't deliver before graduation. I keep telling myself that it is all going to be worth it. Of course, I'll have a baby which is the coolest thing ever, and eventually I'll have a job. I'm just taking my maternity leave before I actually start the job hahaha Well, I'd better get back to studying...which is what I do all the time anyhow. Nice talkin to ya!

Magic

We had a little scare this Christmas season. Well, Danny at the age of 7 still believes in Santa Claus. We set out to go see the jolly old elf and turns out he had to leave on an emergency. Needless to say my little guy was crushed. He teared up instantly. He thought he wasn't going to get anything for Christmas because he hadn't had a chance to go over it with the fat man. Total devistation. I was totally scared that he would lose faith and begin to question things. It was just awful. I was also really pissed at the facility for not putting someone else in the red suit. I saw at least 3 other candidates as a looked around the room. Well, as soon as I got past my rage at these heartless folks that almost broke my little boy's spirit, I got the idea to visit the Carson Mall:




Serious business.

Pure Magic.
One happy boy!

So far so good...

We are now about 1/4 way through our first semester of the second year of nursing school. We are split up into two groups this semester: Psych and OB/Peds and will switch next semester. From what I hear, OB/Peds is pretty rough...taking care of sick babies is never very fun. However, the psych rotation is no walk in the park! It was only four weeks, but I think that is just about all we could handle. The Northern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services has an inpatient facility, and these are the sickest of the sick. You see, thanks to Reagan, nearly all mental health cases are handled on an outpatient basis. The only way someone can be hospitalized for a mental illness is if they pose a threat to themselves or to others. Well lucky us, we got to hang out with the hospitalized folks, and boy was that intense! I have never seen the ugly face of schizophrenia until I walked into this place. And then of course we just had to tour Lakes Crossing, which is a pretty name for the facility for the criminally insane. Our teacher always told us that if the hair on the back of our necks stood up, then we should trust that and respond appropriately. Well, the whole hour and some minutes we were in this particular facility, the hairs on the back of my neck were standing at attention. Needless to say, I was on guard. I can definitely say that I will never work in that facility. Which, by the way, is the only facility of it's kind in Nevada...the scariest people are in this place. Just making eye contact will send shivers up your spine. If you can get up the courage to actually go in there!

So long, bus!

It was a great year we spent with you. I sure had fun driving around town feeling silly with one to three people in your eight seat capacity. I didn't have very much fun wasting all that gas. Too bad we didn't have anything for you to tow. At least the family you're going to has more than one child and a boat and a trailer you can tow around. Have fun, we'll miss you!

Here goes nothin'

After a bit o' delay, I am embarking on my first real shift at Renown as Apprentice Nurse. Quite a few of the other girls (and guy) in my class have said they had fun, but I am still a bit nervous about getting lost...although I went poking around the hospital with a classmate a couple of weeks ago and think we found oncology (my floor) by mistake. With a little bit of luck I'll find it okay...and maybe I'll even be on time :D Well, off to bed. Wish me luck...here goes nothin'!

Dear Lake Tahoe,

We miss your perfect beach weather!

It's been way up into the nineties and I am pretty sure we hit triple digits a couple of days ago. Currently it's 81 and I doubt it will get down into the sixties like the weather channel says it's going to. Needless to say our swamp cooler has been working overtime and our grass and plants are browning. We never had this sort of heat when we lived with you. I guess that's what we get for moving in with your buddy Carson Valley. I just wish someone would have warned us he was so hot tempered. You were so mild mannered, so good to us who love the outdoors so much.

Till we meet again,

The Hallins

New family member

Well here she is: Lucy (Lulu) Birdo Hallin. She's just about 8 weeks old, and she was totally unplanned. Spur of the moment thing. The "Birdo" is Danny's idea- a character from Super Mario Bros. Whatever. I liked Lucy and we settled on Lulu, although the little girls in the family that we adopted her from were calling her "Snowbelle" which is also cute, just not us. I almost always re-name my pets once I get a reading on their personality.

Queenie (originally named Liberty- Libby for short) is not too pleased about this new addition at all. Not that we expected her to be. She is an old lady in every sense. Very set in her ways and pretty grumpy about anything at all. Hopefully she'll adapt.

Eczema

It sucks.
I'm just sayin.
I am also open to suggestions because aveeno and hydrocortisone cream are not working for squat.
Gah!

I'm on my way

As of July 13th I'll be a member of the apprentice nurse team at Renown. Words cannot express how excited I am! And the cherry on top is that I'm guaranteed a job after I graduate as well. Actually, I am to sign a 'contract' stating that I will work for at least 12-18 months as an RN with them since they are putting a bunch of time into training me. Whatever, guaranteed job is what I read ;-) So that's my exciting news for today. Holla!

Someone's not liking summer

Not that she likes much of anything except being left alone, but the heat is just a little more unbearable when you're covered in fur. Poor thing is just going to have to learn how to sit in front of the swamp cooler. For now she'll just sit and give me looks like I'm the one who made it so darn hot.

Hiking

I like to hike. I'm a regular Dr. Seuss with my rhymes. No seriously, I've always been an outdoors gal. In fact I headed for the mountains as soon as I had the good sense to get the flock out of the bay area. Everytime we visit, Torg always asks the inevitable question: Who lives here???? And my answer is always the same: waaay too many people. I mean, no offense, I just have terrible road rage and if I still lived there, it would be in the pen.
So, we hike. We found a sweet trail right out of our back door (okay, front door if you want to get technical), and it begins with a little something I like to call the beast.

Danny tackling the first leg of the beast:
This is our view once we complete the first leg. It seriously goes straight up hill for about 1/4 mile:
Pretty deceiving, you think you're up the hill, but you've only just begun...
Still climbing the beast, this kid is something else!
We were pretty impressed that you can see Jacks Valley Elementary (Danny's school) once you get up over the first half of the trail.
Still going...this is the point in which I usually am able to jog again when I am by myself.
This is the view once we get all the way to the top:
Not bad for about 20 minutes of climbing. This is the trail marker. I suppose it's actually a dirtbike/ATV trail, but we like to go the old fashioned way. There are many, many more miles to go on this trail, and eventually we will find out where it leads. Stay tuned...

I'm on a mission

So as of this week, I have been running. Alot. Sunday I logged about 2 miles- almost half of that was with the kiddo. We got to run outside and that's really my ideal run. Monday, 2.5 miles. The weather did not cooperate, so I used the treadmill, not my favorite but it gets the job done. Tuesday I took a lil break and went on a "hike" with Amanda and the kids (pictures to follow as soon as I get off my lazy butt and do it). Wednesday I went 3.5 miles, again on the treadmill. In the garage. Not the most fun I've ever had, but I first attempted Tae Bo with Mr. Billy Blanks and I almost broke my tv, so I decided the treadmill was safer. Plus, there's a tv out there and I can watch cool movies while I'm running like Spaceballs, Freeway and Spinal Tap. That was today with the Spinal Tap (this one goes to eleven). I logged four miles today and I feel great. Now I am going to the bay for my nephew's birthday and hope I can keep going with this. Get outta my way, got a package people!

Nursing school, aka Life consumer

Well, that's about the size of it. So much for a housewarming party. Hmmm, mebbe a Christmas party is in order. It's finals week and I am surprised to have a free moment. I guess because the worst is over and I actually have a week where I don't have a paper due, and I'm not in clinicals until damn neat 9pm. It's been a wild ride, to say the least. The mantra that has gotten me this far (in my half sane condition, which is the best I could ask for) is: "If it were easy, either everyone would be a nurse, or patients would be really scared" haha. No, it's not easy, but I don't believe that any health care education should be. If it is, you're either a genius, or you don't know what you are doing! Here's a photo of our linical group and our instructor. I'll keep updates posted, and I'll be partying for the next month or so...starting this Friday.

Seriously

This is no joke. Not that I thought it would be. But when someone told me that they spent a grand on books for nursing school, I thought it was an exaggeration. It's totally not. Those books you see are just for the first year. Well, I'm very near a grand in just books now and with my uniform, it puts me over. Add in all the immunizations, CPR class, and background check (yes, background check, as in criminal...just be assured that your nurses are not ex-cons), and I don't know my total exactly, but it was enough to apply for a student loan. I just wish someone would have sat me down and told me straight up, "Hold on to your shit because this is going to rock your financial world."
Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. Other than my finacial status, I am over the moon. I put on that uniform that says "Nursing student" and I am as proud as I was the day that my son was born, or the first time he spelled his name. It's almost indescribable. I always said I was going to be great, but I didn't know it was going to feel this good. I'm doing it! I may never be rich, or famous, or a Pulitzer Prize winner, but I am going to be the best damn nurse you have ever seen. Just as soon as I pay off these loans...