It's Summer Vaca

I have been out of school officially since Wednesday! Thursday was so great to sleep in and basically do NOTHING! I re-checked my Med-Surg grade about 10 times on Thursday to make sure I actually passed. And I did! It still seems like an illusion to see that "B" on my transcript in that class. I never could have done it without Bob's support. He's an amazing husband. Between doing the laundry and dishes and telling me how smart I am, he was everything I needed to survive my first year of nursing school.
Two weeks ago I would have looked you in the eye and honestly told you I didn't think I was going to pass Med-Surg. I have been in college at least part-time since 2001 and can honestly say that Med-Surg is the hardest class I have EVER taken. I am so incredibly happy that I passed and even happier that I pulled out a B in that class! I rock :) I'm so happy, as well, that all the great friend I have made in nursing school also passed (Kayla, Candice, Diane, and Rhonda). I am 100% sure there were some that didn't make it and I really feel for them. I can't imagine the disappointment they are feeling right now. The good news is that they can re-apply and can still become wonderful RNs. I don't believe that your grade in Med-Surg I is an indication of the nurse you become. But enough about nursing school...IT'S SUMMER!
Friday night we spent with the Brickey's. I was so glad to drink some beer and BBQ with them. I met Candice in nursing school and couldn't be more thankful that she was in my very first clinical group. She is more like me than anyone else I have met in Nursing school. We have so much fun when we hang out with her and her husband (Jonathan). They have two of the cutest kids ever (Taylor and Esme). We played ROCK BAND last night which was fun, as always. We could play GO FISH with Candice and Jonathan and have a blast. I can't explain it, but the 4 of us just fit together well. Below is me and Candice playing ROCK BAND!

This is Candice and Jonathan's son singing during ROCK BAND. He made up some pretty good lyrics when he was singing. I definitely think the kid has a future in music!

Saturday morning was full of cleaning. YUCK! Cleaning makes me soo crabby. I just don't like to do it. Maybe Obama should enact a law where Nurses don't have to clean and someone will come clean their house for them every week. I'll work on that :) The Rathers (Ken and Sara) came over for dinner. We made homemade pizza and played more ROCK BAND. Bob and Ken "groomed" the dogs. Well, they really just groomed Kirby. I was so scared for him to get a haircut. Maybe I'm weird, but it's Kirby's first haircut and I didn't want him to look like a giant dork. He actually looks pretty good. I was surprised. After a night of food and ROCK BAND, Ken and Sara went home and Bob and I started to groom Emma. We were in the garage with the clippers and Emma for about 2 hours and we are about half way done!!! I guess we will finish tomorrow. Grr...I just want to sit on the couch and read all day long. I started a new book as soon as school was out and I am soooo excited to be able to read for fun.

Tomorrow I might actually get to meet Tyler James Stewart for the first time!!! His mommy, Sarah, and I used to work together at Starbucks, but have kind of drifted apart recently. I can't express how much I hate drifting apart and losing close friends. Sarah was the first real friend I made in TN. She married Nathan, also from SBux, and I got to stand up in their wedding! Their baby is so cute, but I've only gotten to see pictures. I miss Sarah. She's the only person I know that hates living in TN as much as I do! I can't wait to see her and her son!
Anyways
I got a b-day card today in the mail from my grandma. It made my day. I love my grandma soooo much -- more than words could express. She's been having a tough couple of months (broken back, kidney cancer) and I wish more than anything I could be there with her. I really miss my family. I wish I could see my mom more than once a year at Christmas as well. Sometimes I hate growing up because the sadness that comes with it can be more than I think I can handle. However, as I have grown up, I have come to believe that God never gives us more than we can handle. There's lots of times we think there's too much on our plate, but we always make it through it and always are stronger than we believe we are. I feel in my heart that being away from my family is just another bump in the road, and distance only makes the heart grow fonder. I can't even tell you how much I love my family. My family is who I am. They are my rock, the sun in my sky, and everything I use to define me. I am REALLY hoping to get home for a few weeks this summer. In all honesty, I want to be "home" for my grandma's surgery then stay so I can go to my cousin Michelle's graduation party. She's going to AZ State next year. I only get to see her at Christmas, but I just know I will miss her even more than I already do knowing she's in AZ and not in MN. Her older sister Lindsey is also leaving MN to go to school in CO to be closer to her boyfriend. I'm happy for both of them. They are like little sisters to me. I love them more than they will ever understand -- they are the little sisters I never had (along with my other cousin Liz).
Anyways, it is way past my bedtime. I'm going to finish my Corona and hit the sack!!