Two weeks ago my brain was doing the standard “shutting down” that annoyingly always happens to me right before the end of a semester (when it would actually be semi-appropriate). All I could think about was Christmas trees, decorations, family, upcoming baby, cookies (?)…well, basically my mind was thinking of everything but finishing up my last papers and assignments.
Then I had a little moment.
I thought: After the bell rings at 2:50 pm on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010, I will never sit in a classroom in the SWKT again—in fact, I may never go back to school again. My BYU student computer log-in will expire and I will not have ready access to loads of knowledge at my fingertips. My student ID will expire and I will no longer check out books from the Harold B. Lee Library...
and then I was sad.
Don't get me wrong...nursing school is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done at my ripe old age of 22 and I am so excited to be done!
But change is hard for me.
The thing I’ve been thinking about the most lately in regards to finishing school is how much of a mind-and-body stretching experience it has been and how blessed I was to have the support and encouragement of wonderful family and friends to help me through it. As I've pondered on the last 4.5ish years of college, I can't help but think of a few extremely key people that really influenced my decision to be a nurse and my ability to get through school.
So thanks, Mom…
- For bringing me down to college as a nervous new freshman
- For letting me call you after almost every test I took in my pre-requisite classes and joining in my joy or frustration.
- For always reminding me that it wasn’t the end of the world.
- For letting me phone you this semester during my morning drives all the way home from a night shift when you were probably busy making breakfast and getting 5 other kids off to school…or work (just kidding dad)
- For sending me little packages and notes in the mail
- For praying for me and believing I could succeed.
Thanks, Dad…
- For being proud of me.
- For always pushing me to be my best.
- For driving down to Provo my freshman year to pick me up and bring me home when I couldn't find a ride at Christmas.
- For being a hard worker and helping me financially those first couple years.
- For giving me the “Biggest Loser” money that you won, so I could buy a bike.
- For listening to my nursing stories and being interested in my life.
and thanks, Peter…
- For not being (outwardly) annoyed at my long hours spent in the library during our dating days
- For making numerous trips up to campus to bring me my forgotten assignments from my (and later, our) apartment :)
- For putting up with a tired wife after clinical
- For the countless breakfasts/lunches/dinners you've packed or cooked for me
- For waking up to drive me to school on snowy mornings when you could have just slept in instead. Even more, for getting me to class on time (even when that meant standing at the door announcing “your ride will leave in 30 seconds” while I’m simultaneously trying to brush my teeth and put my shoes on).
- For joining in my joys and frustrations
- For keeping me laughing and having fun through it all. I especially liked the Nursing Diagnosis you formulated for me: "Failure to hang out with your husband"
So what now?
The plan is to have a wonderful Christmas break in Nyssa, then study like crazy and
Ever.
This Spring, our little family will be moving to...somewhere...where we will get settled, and I will find some part time work while Pete goes to Physical Therapy school (He got accepted at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and Loma Linda University in Califonia! We'll see where else he gets in and make a decision from there).
4 years ago...
Fall 2006
The morning I left home to go to Provo. This picture makes me cringe (because I look absolutely terrible) and laugh (because everyone looks so young and Wyatt's trying to be cross-eyed).
Fall 2006
On BYU campus "studying" Geology with roommate Brooklyn.
Fall 2006
Same Geology book a few weeks later. When I learned how studying really was (exhausting).
Fall 2006
In Nutrition 100 with friends Yoko and Sabrina. This was one of my first college classes.
(And this may have been the day I met a boy named Peter)
And NOW!
August 2010
4 comments:
I love the diagnosis Pete came up with, hilarious! I love all your pictures over the years, go BYU! Congrats girl, great job!
Unexpected reaction, but I started crying while reading your post. I guess some of the thoughts and tributes to parents and husband hit home to me... (HUGE sigh of relief and a few sniffles :)
Steph, this is beautiful! What a nice tribute and memoir. I'm starting to experience some of the same feelings--you word it so perfectly! Congratulations to you!!!
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