Changes

If I ever were to write an autobiography (how boring would that book be????), this should be the title of it. My life is constantly changing. I do very well with planned change. I have always loved moving house, starting a new school, new job, etc, etc, etc. It's the unplanned change that drives me nuts. I am not a happy camper when unplanned change occurs in my life, particularly if several unplanned changes happen at once.

Which brings me to the promised update (it is VERY long - don't feel you have to read it if you're not interested!). I kept putting off writing it because there was so much uncertainty with the direction my life was going, at least in the short-term. I have my long-term life plan set: become a nurse, work for a couple years, buy a house, have baby #2, quickly followed by baby #3 and live happily ever after with my husband and 3 children in our lovely Bay Area house while I work as a Labor & Delivery nurse and James makes his millions selling his compositions. No problems with the long-term plan.

The short-term plan, on the other hand, are all over the place. You all know I dropped out of the Associate's Degree nursing program I was enrolled in, due to the poor education and quite frankly, fraud that was occuring at the school (the Merritt College drama still continues, but that's another post). I then decided I was going to do a 6 week Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program and work as a CNA before getting accepted into another nursing school. I also planned to take the remaining prerequisite courses I needed for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program I decided to apply for. The prerequisite part of my plan remained the same, as did my decision to apply for the BSN program for next year. I am currently in a Statistics course and will be taking Pharmacology and Pathophysiology (both online courses) from January-March. I have applied for the 12 month Accelerated BSN (ABSN) program at Samuel Merritt; it begins May 25, 2009 and I should know whether or not I've been accepted within the next couple months. If I am not accepted, I will apply for their 2 year program which begins at the end of August (and again in January 2010 if I'm not accepted the first time).

The CNA program I enrolled in fell through (before it began). It will be starting in January now (which is too late for my plans, and we will be in England for the start of it anyway). Luckily, everything does happen for a reason, right? This must mean I will get into the ABSN program at Samuel Merritt. It has to! Additionally, I will be returning to my old job as an administrative assistant for the accounting firm I worked at for several years. It just so happens that one of their admin assistants will be out on maternity leave during tax season (January-April). Those are the exact months I need a job for - we return from England in mid-January and hopefully I will start school in May. I didn't want to look for a job before we left because our trip is 3 weeks long - it's highly unlikely any place would hire me, only to have me leave for 3 weeks shortly after my hire. I will be working at the firm from mid/late January until the end of April/early May. Perfect (if I get accepted into the ABSN program)! I will be part-time to start (while I am doing my 2 online courses) and then most likely full-time (plus likely overtime) for the last month of tax season. It couldn't have worked out better (for my bosses as well as for me - tax season is not a good time for them to be down an employee). The only downside is the commute to Half Moon Bay, but it is a temporary job. There's no way I'd find a job closer to home that pays the same and just happens to need me for the exact dates I need them. Plus, I loved that job. I made so many really good friends there (who are still in my life) and my bosses created a wonderful environment to work in. They truly care about their employees and offer generous salaries, benefits (which I won't be getting since I'll be temporary) and a lot of other perks. During tax season, they provide free meals, snacks and drinks, overtime pay (time and a half), massages and more. I am so lucky my bosses valued me enough to want me back...I really need a job. Our savings is going fast. We'll be taking out loans for me to attend school, but we didn't want to have to take out any loans prior to that. Any loans I take out specifically for school (and living expenses rendered while attending school) may be partially reimbursed by whichever hospital hires me when I'm a registered nurse. I love the nursing shortage!

So anyway, plans change. They may change again. If I don't get into the ABSN program, I'll have to find another temporary admin job after tax season. C'est la vie. I have a wonderful son who really makes change easier for me. You have to be flexible with a child. There's no other option! In the past, these kinds of intense unexpected changes would have hit me really hard. While they still hit me hard this time, I haven't been able to truly wallow in my disappointment. Dorian won't let me. And to be honest, it's been really nice having both James and I home for much of the fall. Dorian loves it...he's so happy when we're all together. This time is so important for his development, so I feel grateful we've both been able to spend so much time with him. My Statistics course is coming along just fine and is a welcome relief every week-end - I don't do well with being a full-time parent (as much as I love my son). I am spending loads of time with Dorian, taking him to play groups and classes - as long as we have things to do outside the house, we are both happy and I enjoy my time with him. We are spending time with friends and making tons of new ones (I should have had a child years ago - I've never had this many friends!). James has been able to get some special projects done, and has continued to gig with the band on week-ends. He has his last gig of the year this week-end. We leave for England in a month and are very excited to be spending 3 weeks with family and friends. Life is good. Life is really, really good.