the rest of it

I've had people ask me what I do in my free time and my answer is this... What free time?

I'm in school full time to become a registered nurse. I've wanted to be a nurse since the second grade when we had to write a pargraph on what we wanted to be when we grew up. I told my teacher I wanted to be a mom, but she said, "You can't be just a mom, that's not a real job." She obviously didn't have kids.

Anyway, I decided if I couldn't be just a mom that nursing would be my second choice. Being mom is still my first choice, hands down, but nursing has flexible hours to let me be home with my kids and I love what I'm learning.

I'll be graduating in June of 2009. After that I will buy a house, get a dog, and live a long and happy life.

Until that happens, I'll keep working for the YMCA. Honestly, I'll probably still work for them a little bit after I'm an RN. I love my job... well, most of it. I get paid to be a glorified pool bum.

life to this point

where to start,

I have the most fabulous, beautiful kids in the world. My kids are my life. everything I do is with them in mind. There are 4.

Jim is the oldest child and the oldest boy. At 13 he's athletic and competitive and sweet and stoic all at the same time. He broke his right leg in early September playing basket ball at a scout activity. He's still in a cast but doing pretty well.

Jordan is the oldest girl and most days she thinks she's the oldest child too. She's 12...going on at least 25. She started Junior High this year and was surprised at the differences. For example, she came home the first day and said, "All my guy friends don't talk to me now." I tired to explain that they were probably MUCH more aware that there are girls and boys now so she shouldn't hold it against them.

John is third in line and the younger boy. His birthday is in a couple of weeks. He'll be 11. He just earned his Webelos badge and will get his Arrow of Light this month. On his birthday we'll go to the Preisthood Preview. He's so excited about being in the New scout program. He's also doing well in school and has developed a love of reading. Today he was telling me how unfair it is that he can't read more than one book at a time.

Juliana is the youngest child and the youngest girl. She is the family princess. Her birthday is also happening within the next two weeks; she'll be 8. The next big thing for her is baptism. She's been talking about it all year. The other exciting happening for her is Activity Days. Her friend from church and her cousin are already there and she just can't wait to join them.

~We'll go through the other things later