Okay, so update since the last post. (I know I'm a horrible blogger, whatever). Left Waco. Moved to Galveston. Started a one year nursing school program at UTMB. And got lost in the whirlwind.
Basically, my life has taken off, and I'm just trying to catch up! Galveston's great! Galveston sucks! Confused? So am I, don't worry. All I have to do is turn left out of my apartment's parking lot, drive for less than a block,and BAM! I'm at the beach! Granted, it's a brown water, unidentifiable smell, watch out for rotting seaweed kind of beach, but it's a beach nonetheless! Tans can happen here. Relaxation can happen here. Fun can happen here. So the problem? I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO TO THE BEACH!
Mkay, let's back this train up a couple of stops. Picture it...last summer/fall I'm applying for nursing schools. I'm living off of my parents with a 4 year mega expensive Baylor degree in hand, and doing not a thing with it. Wait, I take that back...I was waiting tables at the fine dining establishment that is Chili's, and going to community college. Is that what the admissions counselors had in mind when they accepted me to Baylor? I'm sure they'd be proud. Anyways, I digress. So I'm applying for nursing schools right around the time the "going nowhere with my life" mentality sets in. So my first thought is to speed up the process. University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX..."accelerated nursing school program." Accelerated? One year to complete two years of nursing school...more clinical hours completed in a year than the 2 and 3 year programs...fast fast fast. Well, the done in one year thing hooked me. "Fast paced learning for motivated students." Motivated? Yah, I was motivated to do something with my life other than serving fried food to grumpy people, is that what they meant? Anyways, I applied, thinking all along I would end up in Dallas. Hoping all along I would end up in Dallas. After all, isn't that what you do when you graduate from Baylor? Waco for a couple of years, then head up to DFW area...it's basically Baylor's 5th year. Pretty much every friend I have with the exception of a few special ones are in the Dallas area. And I could think of nothing I wanted more than to be in Dallas with them, living the life...except for finishing nursing school, and finishing as fast as possible. And the application process continued. I had already applied to Baylor's nursing school (much to the dismay of my parents...and my bank account/lack of back account) and had been accepted. It started in January. In December, I was in NYC with my mom and some family friends, and got a call from UTMB. I was selected for an interview. Seriously? Wait a second...GALVESTON? Yah, I applied, but really? But I went to the interview. On December 19th. On December 20th they mailed out the letters. December 23rd I got the acceptance letter. December 23rd I get super excited. And super freaked out. I'm not supposed to go to Galveston! I'm supposed to go to DALLAS! Hello! Galveston is the opposite direction!!! Lord, what are you doing?!?!
And then it hit me...throughout the entire process I prayed. Before the process began, I prayed. For several years, I've prayed. Prayed that the Lord's will be done in my life. Prayed that His path be chosen over my own. Prayed for His desires to be that of my own heart. Prayed that my life is used for His purposes, whatever that may be. And specifically, prayed that the nursing school I attended be where I was meant to go. The acceptance letter to UTMB was right. And I accepted. And told Baylor that I in fact wasn't starting there in less than 3 weeks. My life course changed, just as it had months earlier when I made the decision to pass up job offers in exchange for a couple years of more schooling to become a nurse. All of this was not without hesitation, questions, and doubt. But I am confident the Lord is bigger than that and has a plan better than I know.
So fast forward a little bit and here I am. In Galveston. Where most people are on vacation, super relaxed and without a care in the world. And I have never been more stressed in my life. I think my life moves faster than I do these days. Some days, i love it. Some days I question what the heck I was thinking. When they said 'accelerated' and 'fast-paced', they weren't joking around. Whirlwind is a better description. But you can't say that on the website.
I'm meeting new people, and missing the old. Desperately missing the old. And yet, I get overwhelmed at the idea of visitors, simply because my calendar is overbooked as it is. Every second dedicated to something. But I want people to come visit in a major way. I feel like my life is on hold for a year. I miss my friends, my family, my life. Sometimes I feel discouraged, but more often than not I feel like I don't even have time to acknowledge my own feelings to recognize that I'm discouraged. I've met some really great girls who are all experiencing the same thing, and they've been wonderful. It's hard to put into words, impossible to describe. And this all sounds over dramatic. (me? over dramatic? never.)
Basically, I'm busy. With a ridiculous amount of obligations and expectations. And it can be overwhelming. Especially when I consider the fact that everything I'm learning is important for the rest of my life. We started clinicals a couple of days ago, and the real world is here. Real lives, in our hands. Here we go folks, dress rehearsal's over and the show has begun!
In it all, the Lord has been faithful to teach me new things. And a faithful refuge. As I go on throughout the year, I'm finding comfort in knowing that I'm here for a purpose. I'm grateful for the people I've met and continue to pray for a positive attitude. I love what I'm learning and I'm thankful for the opportunity, I just feel like I'm missing out on a lot at the same time. But...whenever I get breaks, the beach's right outside! YAY!
So there ya go, you're officially updated. With some major events in between left out. (like my best friend getting married last weekend, for example!). So come to Galveston, I'll be here. Loving life, and stressing about life at the same time! These past months have been a crazy journey of wonderful opportunities, challenges, and chances to grow. K, back to studying. I'll be back to update soon. Maybe?
Jessica
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Court Tagged Me, So Here it Is!
10 YEARS AGO:
I was a 7th grader, on the tennis team (I'm sure at that time it was still a joke that I was attempting to play tennis! ha!), a band nerd, and basically the definition of AWKWARD! I mean c'mon, it was Jr. High! (I was probably on Spring Break around this time...man, I wish I was on Spring Break now!)
THINGS ON MY TO-DO LIST TODAY:
well, I'm working 8-5 at the law office, then 5:30-close at Chili's, so that's about all for my day today! (are you jealous?)...but I also need to call and get a UHAUL reserved, price Internet/cable in Galveston, and order a cake for a shower :)
WHAT WOULD I DO IF I SUDDENLY BECAME A BILLIONAIRE?:
Well, I'd probably start with a new car (mine's kinda like a little matchbox car right now haha)...and I would go backpacking through Europe for sure! Put a huge chunk of it away for savings (think about how much you can make off of a billion dollars! whoa!)...and I would LOVE LOVE to build a school/orphanage in Africa! (I know it sounds cliche, but that is most definitely a huge desire of mine!)
THREE OF MY BAD HABITS: (just three?!?! jk)
1. nail biting (how gross is that?)
2. leaving stuff in my car instead of just taking it inside (if you've ever been in my car, you know what I mean. I'm doing better though!)
3. procrastinating. (on pretty much everything. that's gonna get me far in life, huh?)
FIVE JOBS I'VE HAD:
1. Server at Chili's
2. "legal assistant"
3. Day Camp counselor for underprivileged kiddos
4. Bed Bath and Beyond
5. The Center (rec place at my church...basically I was a glorified babysitter. and taught swim lessons.)
FIVE THINGS PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME:
1. I LOVE going to aquariums.
2. I want to live in Africa at some point in my life.
3. I want to adopt at least one kid (I can't wait to be a mom!)
4. I hate steak.
5. I'm ridiculously scared of fires.
I tag: Jennifer, Jen, and Erin
I was a 7th grader, on the tennis team (I'm sure at that time it was still a joke that I was attempting to play tennis! ha!), a band nerd, and basically the definition of AWKWARD! I mean c'mon, it was Jr. High! (I was probably on Spring Break around this time...man, I wish I was on Spring Break now!)
THINGS ON MY TO-DO LIST TODAY:
well, I'm working 8-5 at the law office, then 5:30-close at Chili's, so that's about all for my day today! (are you jealous?)...but I also need to call and get a UHAUL reserved, price Internet/cable in Galveston, and order a cake for a shower :)
WHAT WOULD I DO IF I SUDDENLY BECAME A BILLIONAIRE?:
Well, I'd probably start with a new car (mine's kinda like a little matchbox car right now haha)...and I would go backpacking through Europe for sure! Put a huge chunk of it away for savings (think about how much you can make off of a billion dollars! whoa!)...and I would LOVE LOVE to build a school/orphanage in Africa! (I know it sounds cliche, but that is most definitely a huge desire of mine!)
THREE OF MY BAD HABITS: (just three?!?! jk)
1. nail biting (how gross is that?)
2. leaving stuff in my car instead of just taking it inside (if you've ever been in my car, you know what I mean. I'm doing better though!)
3. procrastinating. (on pretty much everything. that's gonna get me far in life, huh?)
FIVE JOBS I'VE HAD:
1. Server at Chili's
2. "legal assistant"
3. Day Camp counselor for underprivileged kiddos
4. Bed Bath and Beyond
5. The Center (rec place at my church...basically I was a glorified babysitter. and taught swim lessons.)
FIVE THINGS PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME:
1. I LOVE going to aquariums.
2. I want to live in Africa at some point in my life.
3. I want to adopt at least one kid (I can't wait to be a mom!)
4. I hate steak.
5. I'm ridiculously scared of fires.
I tag: Jennifer, Jen, and Erin
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Looking Back, Looking Forward
The first week of the new year has passed, and soon the second will be gone as well. Looking back on the past month, my life has changed in some fairly big ways. A little over a month ago, we found out that my cousin Jennifer's growing baby is a girl! So early April we will joyfully welcome baby Kylie Brooke into our family! Alex will be a big brother and we can't wait for her to get here!
I finished up what I thought were the last of my prerequisites for nursing school at the beginning of December, ready for the next chapter of my life. (come to find out, I still have one more class, but I can take it online, so no biggy). But where would the next chapter of my life be? Well, Baylor nursing school in Dallas thought I was coming there (if that had actually taken place, I would have had orientation this morning, and would be currently living in Dallas.) However, that is not the plan. On December 19th I had an interview with the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX regarding admittance into their accelerated one year nursing program. Two days later, they sent out my acceptance letter! Hallelujah! I'm in! So another big change! Starting May 1st, I will be thrown into a world of clinicals and nursing classes at a ridiculously fast pace. And I'm so excited. Yes, it's going to be intense, but I'm ready for it. After much prayer, I knew I should go to nursing school. And now once again the Lord has opened up a huge door of opportunity, and I anticipate wonderful things to come from it! So Galveston, TX, here I come! You ready?
Christmas was wonderful, as usual. I enjoy our family traditions so much. Christmas definitely changes each year as I get older. When we were younger, Jonathan and I were so excited to wake up and see what Santa brought! My grandparents and aunt and uncle got to our house ridiculously early to share in our excitement. The excitement of Christmas has not faded, but I'm starting to realize that it's merely shifted. Yes, the giddy excited feeling of not being able to fall asleep on Christmas Eve because you can't stop thinking about Christmas morning is wonderful and I definitely have had many sleepless Christmas Eves...but the joy and excitement of spending such a wonderful day with your family is just as great. My family, since Jonathan and I are older now, is enjoying each other's company. We're soaking in the memories, reminiscing on the blessings of the year, and celebrating the birth of our Savior and His glory. It was a great Christmas with the people I love most!
However, the week in between Christmas and New Years Day and the days folling have brought many trials for my family. A treasured member of our family has had health problems for some time, and is continuing to get worse. We are blessed in the fact that we have been able to make hospital visits to my aunt in Austin, and then in Dallas. She is now at home in Austin, and our family is looking forward to spending as much quality time with her as possible. But it is hard to see people I love so much in such pain. It is difficult times like these that make me fully realize how blessed I am to be part of such a close, strong family. This Saturday we are celebrating my uncle's birthday in Austin at their home, and I'm excited to see them.
The New Year has come, and it's a year full of possibilities, hope, and expectations. Finishing up one chapter of my life. Planning for the next one. All with great anticipation! With all this said, Happy New Year! I hope 2008 treats you well!
I finished up what I thought were the last of my prerequisites for nursing school at the beginning of December, ready for the next chapter of my life. (come to find out, I still have one more class, but I can take it online, so no biggy). But where would the next chapter of my life be? Well, Baylor nursing school in Dallas thought I was coming there (if that had actually taken place, I would have had orientation this morning, and would be currently living in Dallas.) However, that is not the plan. On December 19th I had an interview with the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX regarding admittance into their accelerated one year nursing program. Two days later, they sent out my acceptance letter! Hallelujah! I'm in! So another big change! Starting May 1st, I will be thrown into a world of clinicals and nursing classes at a ridiculously fast pace. And I'm so excited. Yes, it's going to be intense, but I'm ready for it. After much prayer, I knew I should go to nursing school. And now once again the Lord has opened up a huge door of opportunity, and I anticipate wonderful things to come from it! So Galveston, TX, here I come! You ready?
Christmas was wonderful, as usual. I enjoy our family traditions so much. Christmas definitely changes each year as I get older. When we were younger, Jonathan and I were so excited to wake up and see what Santa brought! My grandparents and aunt and uncle got to our house ridiculously early to share in our excitement. The excitement of Christmas has not faded, but I'm starting to realize that it's merely shifted. Yes, the giddy excited feeling of not being able to fall asleep on Christmas Eve because you can't stop thinking about Christmas morning is wonderful and I definitely have had many sleepless Christmas Eves...but the joy and excitement of spending such a wonderful day with your family is just as great. My family, since Jonathan and I are older now, is enjoying each other's company. We're soaking in the memories, reminiscing on the blessings of the year, and celebrating the birth of our Savior and His glory. It was a great Christmas with the people I love most!
However, the week in between Christmas and New Years Day and the days folling have brought many trials for my family. A treasured member of our family has had health problems for some time, and is continuing to get worse. We are blessed in the fact that we have been able to make hospital visits to my aunt in Austin, and then in Dallas. She is now at home in Austin, and our family is looking forward to spending as much quality time with her as possible. But it is hard to see people I love so much in such pain. It is difficult times like these that make me fully realize how blessed I am to be part of such a close, strong family. This Saturday we are celebrating my uncle's birthday in Austin at their home, and I'm excited to see them.
The New Year has come, and it's a year full of possibilities, hope, and expectations. Finishing up one chapter of my life. Planning for the next one. All with great anticipation! With all this said, Happy New Year! I hope 2008 treats you well!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
A Couple Years Behind, but Jessica got a Blog!
After a perfect day of wedding dress/bridesmaid dress shopping with my best friends since 6th grade, I spent my night sitting at Starbucks talking and catching up with some old friends. Talking about our lives now, who we used to be, and our future plans was wonderful, and long time overdue! (It seems like we get busier and busier each year, and miss out on the important people/things in our lives...agree?) But anyways, 3 things came to me from this conversation (well, let's be honest, not really just from that convo, but it just reminded me of what I'd already decided, and just never acted on).
1. I need to blog...I mean hello people, it's almost 2008, where have I been? I love reading other people's posts, knowing about what's going on in their lives, hearing their exciting (and sometimes not so exciting) news, and seeing their pics! So why don't I do it myself? Not gonna lie, there's not a whole lot of crazy exciting things happening in my life right now, but when there is, I'll be sure to let y'all know...cuz I'm gonna blog! (i know, i know, we'll see how long this lasts, but for now, it's my plan).
2. I need to be intentional about life. Talking about our lives (past, present, and future) made me realize (again) just how many opportunities we have in life! Reading about what the Lord is doing in and through people's lives is an incredible encouragement and affirmation to me! And it is just a reminder that being intentional and prayerful about every aspect of my life isn't really an option, but a necessity. In the past couple months, a couple of really important people in my life have had some serious health struggles, causing us all to realize just how short and precious our lives are. I want to live mine with purpose. I want to be able to say that my life is a living reflection of Christ. That is my biggest desire...and for the Lord to be evident in me, I must choose to allow my life to be such. I must be intentional about my life, and my decisions. I want my life to be fruitful. I have been blessed in immeasurable ways, and want to in turn be a blessing to others. I want my desires to align with the Lord's desires. A passionate life, an intentional life, a prayerful life.
3. I have AMAZING friends. The fact that I'm able to say that I have had the same friends since Intermediate school (some since elementary school) and our friendships just continue to strengthen, is unbelievable. I recognize that this is rare, and cherish these friendships with all my heart. And to top it off, I have made ridiculously amazing friends in college as well. I am surrounded by incredible people all the time and know that I am a better person because of the friends I have in my life!
So yay! There ya go...my first post!...this is exciting! Fun exciting things all around! Blogging and a great life with great friends! What could be better?
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