I DID IT!!!!!

AHHHHHHH!  I graduated nursing school!  It is still hard to believe that after 2 long, hard years, countless hours of studying and having absolutely no social life, I am a Nurse.  I now have to prep and pass the NCLEX-RN so I can get a J O B.

In the infamous Cap

I told myself I wasn't going to cry at all during graduation, and I didn't, until I saw my family walk in.  My mom already had tears in her eyes and my grandma was smiling from ear to ear.  I instantly welled up, but held it together.  It happened again after the ceremony when my grandma pulled me aside and said I am so proud of you, I wish your grandpa was here to see you accomplish this, but he is with us in spirit.

My and my Mommy

Getting Pinned

The best husband in the world! 

I followed in the footsteps of my Grandma Dee, who is the best nurse I know.  I was so honored to have her at my graduation ceremony.  At the end, one of the Sisters (our school/health system is part of a Catholic Order) performed a blessing of the hands.  She asked that all new, current and former nurses rise to take part.  I was so ecstatic that my Grandma, who just gave up her license at 81 years old, and has been a nurse for 61 years, got to stand up and be recognized and blessed for all of the great things she has done.

Me and my Grandma!!

I am so proud of not only myself, but our whole class.  When we all first met during orientation, the instructors had told us that when it is all said and done, you will be a family.  We looked around the room and said Ya Right!  How wrong were we!  We have cried together, laughed together, studied for hours on end..sometimes seeing more of each other than our actual family.  We were there for each other at 2 am when we would call each other crying "I'm going to fail this test!  I don't think I studied enough!" and then again at 10 am laughing at how over dramatic we were when we did in fact pass the test with flying colors.

This is a second career for me, and I can't believe how different it is than any other.  Nurses are a close knit, loving and caring bunch.  I have never had a "college" experience like this one.  Everyone knows each other, how many kids they have, if they are married or seeing someone, the health of the parents, grandparents, literally everything about each others lives.  We laughed together, cried together, screamed together, worried together, vented to each other.  The instructors are equally in the know, asking you about your family, friends, life in general.  They actually WANT you to succeed, even though at the time we are thinking they have it out for us!

I can not wait to pass my boards and get a job, doing something that I absolutely love.  Nursing is my passion, I love to take care of people, make them feel better, help them out in their time of need, and I will be getting paid to do it!

Thank-you to my family and friends for helping me out on this amazing journey, I could not have done it without you!