Whew! I'm EXHAUSTED!!!!!!!

I mean I am absolutely BONE TIRED! Wore out. Not feeling so great though. It's no wonder though, so much excitement last week. I found out I passed Nursing School, Wednesday I had to show up for Pinning rehearsal, Thursday was the Pinning Ceremony, Friday was graduation (with Joe's Crab Shack to celebrate!), and Saturday we went to the Braves game. Sunday everyone went back to Ohio... my dad in the AM by car, and my mom in the PM by AirTran.

Isn't this ^^ just the most incredible picture?! It was from our Pinning Ceremony Thursday night. We all had our candles lit from each other and then we listened as a singer sang "Go Light Your World". I'm including the song below:



It was certainly appropriate for graduating nursing students. Especially our group. I mean, I know 99% of nursing students have good hearts. But my class was so tight knit and caring. We didn't want to lose anyone along the way. To be honest, I couldn't imagine how such a large group could get to know each other much less be as caring towards each other.

So I didn't get to bed until around 1 or 2 am. Then it dawned on me. What am I supposed to wear under my graduation gown?!

I had to get up first thing in the AM, go to Walmart (which was the only place opened) to buy a black dress, hose, and black dress shoes. I ran to the fitting room, found that everything fit just right, and then I opened the door and asked the old lady attending the fitting room if I could remove the tags and check out immediately. She said that was fine but she had to accompany me to the register. Ok that's fine! I'm just in a rush to make it to graduation in time!

So I grab all of my stuff and I was ready for us to make a mad dash to the register. Yeah, that was until she grabbed her cane and started escorting me. LOL!!! Well, that's what I get for LITERALLY waiting until the last minute. It all worked out. I made it to campus with plenty of time to spare.

The graduation ceremony ROCKED! I had my husband and older son there and my parents from Ohio (& SISTER!) watching. The speaker sucked IMO though. Some government dude from Dekalb County. It was less about us and more about his "political" speach and him. I felt it was just typical insensitive politician speak.

But getting up on stage ready to shake hands with the President of the college I looked back at my family and they looked so happy. Then I looked out in the audience and all of the nursing faculty was standing there with smiles and applause to all of us as we went out. OMG I love them. It was so cool. Even my step mother (who used to be a nursing instructor) said that was very special of them. It sure was.

Well anyways... I have TONS of pictures and videos from the Days of Graduation but I can't find the cord. So it'll be a few more days :-( Fortunately I got some GREAT post-pinning goofing off with (former) students and our instructors!!! I can't wait to share it with everyone.

But yesterday it was so hard saying goodbye to my family. They all live in Ohio and I see them every year to every other year. It's too hard for me to go visit up there (because of losing my brother - if I stay here, he's not missing from my daily life. If I go up there, I'll notice he's missing). And they all work and have their lives. So we all don't get to see each other very often.

My mom came here for two months to help me with the house and the kids while I did my preceptorship and finished out school. She was alot of help. LOL Now I'm back to cleaning 50 times a day. Ok, nursing school has turned me into a germaphobe! Lysol Wipes are my FAVES!!! I keep them in the bathrooms and the kitchen to wipe stuff down all the time LOL

So anyways, my mom was a lifesaver when it came to cleaning house. Too bad she wasn't a fan of changing litter boxes LOL

It was wonderful seeing my dad, stepmother, and little sister too! They spoiled me to death LOL I got a Vera Bradley backpack purse, makeup bag, cards, and a Littmann Cardiology III stethoscope!!!!!!!! OMG it was all soooo awesome!

But as wonderful as everything was it was so hard to see everyone go. Hopefully everyone will be back again soon.

Now I just have to find a job!!!! I can't find anything!!!! Of course, maybe it will be better once I pass the NCLEX and I'm a REAL registered nurse. Until then I'm just a girl who has been to college. Doesn't count for anything. It doesn't help that hospitals aren't hiring new grads at all. Ugh. Hopefully things turn around soon.

Well, I'm off. Time for more rest until I get whatever I've got out of my system!