Spontaneous Pictures

     This busy afternoon I decided to pause and take a few pictures of the girls!  Katie was in a great mood, so I wanted to seize the moment.  The natural lighting in their room was perfect, so I started snapping away.  Jubilee was taking a nap, so I let her snooze away.  Once Jubilee woke up I tried to get some pictures of her, but the lighting in the room just wasn't the same!  Well, here are some of my favorites of the day.  I'm going to have to try another day with Jubilee!

Jubilee

Jubilee

Jubilee trying to stand.

Jubilee laughing at her Daddy in the background.

Looking out the window.

Sweet Jubilee

Katie

Katie scrunching up her nose

Serious

Silly Katie bug

Standing

Katie showing off her first tooth!!!

Graduation

     This weekend I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing from Ball State University!  It is hard to believe that my academic career is over.  Being a student is all I know, so James and I are anxious to see how I do in the "real world".

James and I after the Pinning Ceremony

     Friday night was my nursing "pinning ceremony".  Graduating registered nurses have a tradition of getting "pinned" to signify becoming a nurse.  I was so blessed to have my family there, and it was a touching ceremony that was individualized for my specific nursing class.  James and I worked so hard for this day.  In my first nursing assessment class, James was my subject to practice all of my skills on.  Before we had the girls, James would give me space to study.  Once the girls arrived, he would typically watch them on Sundays so I could study.  This accomplishment was just as much Jim's as mine.  We both can't believe that school is over for me!

Lining up for Graduation with my friends from Nursing School!

     Saturday morning was the actual graduation ceremony.  The girls were able to attend this ceremony.  We felt that the pinning ceremony would necessitate the girls being quiet.  We have discovered that children are the loudest when you want them to be quiet.  I really wanted the girls to be there, so I could tell them when they are older that they were present when I graduated.  I was able to sit next to all of the friends I made this semester (my class graduated in May, so I met an entire new group of people this fall).  These were women who had their LPN, and they were going for their RN.  I was fortunate to have clinical with them because their lives were more in sync with me.  We all are married and have children.  I was able to identify with them much easier than other women my age.  The graduation ceremony seemed to take a long time, and my name was pronounced horribly wrong.  However, the girls behaved perfectly.  They were able to wear little nursing scrubs Susan made them!  They were so cute!  It was so nice having my family there to celebrate this accomplishment!

Grandpa and I after graduation.

     I would like to thank everyone who helped/contributed to me finishing college!  It seemed like yesterday I was a shy, insecure 18-year-old girl moving into Woodworth.  I am now a much more confident wife, mother, college graduate, and soon-to-be-nurse ( I still have to pass my licensing exam-NCLEX).

Final Clinical

     Part of my last semester curriculum included a "Management" course.  While this class was not the most exciting course in the world, I still learned a lot.  The clinical for this course included shadowing a nurse with her schedule for two weeks. This program is known as "Capstone".  The nurse that I shadowed worked on the Pediatric Unit at Ball Memorial Hospital.

     Thanks to a supportive family, I was able to stay in Muncie without having to drive home following a twelve hour shift.  This prevented the girls from being disturbed, and I'm sure they enjoyed their time with their family.  James and I are so thankful that we had assistance during my Capstone experience. 

     I learned a lot with the Capstone program. I was able to apply a lot of my school training towards this experience.  I really feel more confident about being an RN.  I had only had one patient on a consistent basis, and I wasn't really the person in charge.  With this program I was able to provide total RN care for three patients at a time.  I was worried that I wouldn't have the organizational skills to be able to do it already, but I actually enjoyed it.  I was even able to call a physician, which is usually intimidating for a new nurse. 

     During the two weeks of me doing this program, the girls reached so many milestones.  Jubilee started crawling last Friday, and she hasn't looked back!  Both of them, especially Jubilee, are trying to pull themselves up on their legs.  Jubilee has figured out how to click her tongue.  They occassionally wave, and Katie sometimes will shake her head "Yes".  The girls have had a lot of fun discovering the apartment, and it has led to "fun" that only a mom of multiple little children can understand.  The girls have had a lot of fun getting into the dog food and playing with the blinds on the back screen door.

The girls playing together to get in the dog food.

Jubilee waking up from a nap.

Katherine playing with the dog cage.