Well, I've decided to go old school and start blogging again. In the past, I found blogging to be great fun, but gave it up because I went through one of those, make-everything-in-life-simple phases. In order to avoid this, I've decided not to force myself into slavery to my blog. This will merely be an outlet for those times in life that I feel it is absolutely necessary to throw my thoughts out to the unsuspecting victims that may find themselves reading my blog. Even as I write this, I feel somewhat anxious, I want to scream why?!?! You have a facebook, myspace, twitter, why add something else to this mess! I guess that I myself don't even fully understand. Now, I think I've spoken my peace and I can begin.

I would say the past month or so has been an extremely peculiar chapter of my life. The first week in May I found myself packing up 3 years of college life. During the months prior I had looked forward to that moment, the one in which I would gladly finish my education, and step out into the great world. But instead I found it very bittersweet... college was a time of great change in my life. This change came with both joy and heartache, but I wouldn't change those years for anything. I went to ETBU with the intention of getting my nursing degree, never once thinking that my life could change in the process. Nevertheless my life did change, I met amazing people, and I learned so much - both in and out of the classroom. Maybe the whole college experience isn't for everyone, but I can certainly see that it was in God's plan for my life. I could probably write and write about this, but I will limit myself this once.

Fast forward a little bit, to the first weekend in May. I found myself being pinned as a nurse, walking across the stage and shaking the hand of Dr. Riley, and saying good bye to Marshall, TX forever. Oh yeah, and my entire family made the trip from WA for my special weekend. Two days later I started grown up life by spending 5 days in the car with my best friend, and we both survived! I then started what might be the darkest 3 or so weeks of my life as I prepared for NCLEX. Those weeks consisted of studying, sleep, and a lot of prayer. But during this time I received an offer at St. Joseph for a Critical Care Residency position! I also celebrated my 21st, and was able to cross of an item on my bucket list - dine at the top of the Space Needle. It was truly a fun night, and I got to spend it with some of the most special people in my life. A few days later, June 3rd, 2009, might be the happiest day of my life - I found out that I had defeated the NCLEX devil and was officially an RN!

The past few weeks I've been recuperating from college life - catching up on sleep, unpacking the last few suitcases, and catching up with old friends. I've also been trying to catch a new perspective or direction for my life. Up until this time I've had a checklist for life, much like the character of Jennifer, on Marley & Me. This checklist has included things like graduate from high school, get into nursing school, survive nursing school, graduate from college, pass NCLEX, and get a great job. Now that I've done these things, what next? Of course there are plenty of things I'd like to experience in the future, but what really is God's plan for my life? I thought that by now I would have it all figured out, but I'm learning that life is not always what I expected it to be. I'm also finding out that the more I try to find out what His plan is, the more distractions are thrown in my way. Fortunately, in this somewhat troubled time, I've found some peace and direction in the form of two very different Bible Studies. In the first, I've been learning about the pitfalls of life, and how Satan can so easily throw us off track. I've been able to finally understand some things about my past, and in the process hopefully prepare myself for the future. In another study, I've been learning about mistakes I make in my relationship with Christ. So often I put other things before Him, things that aren't necessarily bad, but that are not worthy of my time or attention. Even though I don't necessarily serve Him in the way that I should, He still pours out amazing blessings into my life.

It is my hope that the next 3 years of my life will bring about even more change than the past 3 have. I know that like the change of the past 3 years, it will probably come with a lot of heartache, but my prayer is that the fire will cause me to be more like my Creator.