Our First Week

Well, we made it through the first week. Mason's first week of Kindergarten, my first week of Nursing School, and Mike and Sam's first week of adjusting to all the new stuff!
Nursing School sacrifices hit home the very first day. I was due at orientation in Vernon, so Mike got to take Mason for his first day of school. I was very dissapointed I didn't get to make the first day. Mike called me after he dropped him off and said he did great. He said several kids were crying and Mason kept looking around at them with a confused look. The second day, Mason got to ride the bus to school for the first time. He was more excited about that than anything. When the bus got here, he didn't look back, tell me bye, or anything. Just took off running. I stood in the driveway and cried while the bus left. :(
That afternoon, Mike was home with Sam when the bus came back by...without Mason. For about 15 minutes, no one knew where my child was! Very scary! Finally we found out he had been put on the wrong bus, but was making his way home. I don't think he even realized what had happened.
This week for me was a complete 360 in my routine. I was in Vernon at school for 2 1/2 days and the rest of the week working until after 5 to get caught up. By Friday, I was feeling the pressure and very overwhelmed. It seemed like the whole week at school they were just trying to scare the heck out of us. But Molly finally made me smile, she told me to hang in there, I was going to be a NURSE! lol
Today has been a great Saturday at home with my boys. I've been doing laundry, cleaning, organizing my books, computer, and other things. I feel the need to be organized!!
Mason almost made me cry earlier. He had been in the playroom playing with his huge elmo. He had it hooked up to all kinds toys. He finally told me elmo was sick and he was taking care of him. I helped him make elmo a "bed" so he'd be more comfortable. A little later he came and told me he'd decided to take elmo's kidney out. I just stopped in my tracks. "Why would you do that" I asked? He told me elmo wanted his kidney out so he could eat salty stuff. I felt awful. I explained to him that HIS kidney was fine and no one was taking it out. And that he couldn't eat salty stuff because we were trying to take good care of that kidney since it was the only one he has.
I always wonder what's going on in that little head. You just never know if they understand what's going on or not.
Tomorrow is Molly's baby shower. I'm excited for her, ready to see all the cute little girly stuff she will get. I noticed she posted a "belly" pic on her blog. I've got a REAL belly pic. One that shows her actual belly! But, I promised her I wouldn't put it on Facebook or my blog. She's such a spoilsport sometimes! :)

I think...

...if you can motivate yourself to get up, making the early service at church is awesome.

The countdown begins!

Mason put a sticker on his Kindergarten countdown page today! The teachers sent out letters to the kids with a picture and 4 stickers to start the countdown to school.

I'm really wondering if Mason is going to make it to Monday in one piece. He has been terrible this week! His pre-k teacher had to call me at work yesterday because he was acting so bad. Even she said he was not acting like himself. Standing in chairs yelling??? So he and I had a come-to-Jesus meeting last night. I hope it worked. No calls yet today, but it is only 9 am.
I think he's getting nervous about the upcoming change, but I'm still not letting him slide on not acting right.

I think...

...it's time for a new family picture.

Full Circle

I called Mike this morning and said, "Hey, I'm going to be a nurse!" He just laughed at me and said, "that's what I hear." (Then I called and did the same thing to my mom! LOL)
I had drove to Vernon first thing this morning to buy all my nursing books that I would need. I have not been to the Vernon Campus since I attended there right after high school. That was...um, let's not count, many years ago. When I got there, I had this strange feeling of deja vu. Remembering the last time I was there and how different my life is now, and I felt like I'd come full circle, right back to where I had started from. Not sure if that's good or bad, but I'm excited to be going down this path I've chosen. Now, I'm just ready to get started! However, I was not ready for the load of books that I had to purchase! I could not believe the number of books that are already required! I bought a backpack with wheels just so I could get them all to the car. So, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Ready for a tough two years that will be worth it in the end. We are already having to make some adjustments and tough decisions. Luckily I'm married to a wonderful man who is being so supportive and telling me we will be okay and to go for it. There is no way I could do this without him.

School Clothes Shopping

The drive to Allen, Texas to the outlet mall there is way worth it! Molly and I loaded up early Saturday morning and headed that way. We were very excited, mainly because we were getting away and doing something we'd been talking about forever, but also hoping for some great deals on name brand clothes. And we weren't dissapointed. We both came home broke, but our kids will be looking great at school! I'd have to say my favorite place was the Ralph Lauren for kids. Great prices, and I stocked up for Mason. Shopping with Molly was a little different this time though. Usually we head into a store and both immediately head for the same little boy stuff. This time, I headed to the little boy section and she was off to the little girl section. She got some really cute stuff for "Fred". I can't wait until she gets here!
I bought Mason a pair of Nike tennis shoes with laces. I was determined that he couldn't start kindegarten without knowing how to tie his shoes. Mike worked with him Sunday night, and he's got it down already! I am so proud of him. (The little things :) )
So, he's all ready to head to kindegarten. But I'm not. I just can't believe my baby is going to kindegarten! I'm starting nursing school the same day and I will probably show up to orientation crying.

Busy, Busy

I can't even begin to describe how busy it's been lately! Where would I start?
Let's see...Took Mason to an ENT last Wednesday to discuss removing his tonsils, and on Friday they removed his tonsils! Saturday I had a garage sale. Finals are this week in my A&P II and Patho class. I registered for my fall classes, and will already have clinicals at URHC by October. We had a Gilmore family get-together at the water park and then steaks at the house two weeks ago. (We have ALOT of kids in this family!) I am going school clothes shopping this Saturday with Molly and the following Sunday with Christine. I haven't even found the Holliday school supply list yet. Um..what else? Oh, Sam has turned 18 months somewhere in the middle of all this. And he can count. I was getting on to him the other night, (he wasn't listening) so I pointed at him and said in a stern voice "one" he just looked at me and said "two". Kooper fell in the floor laughing while I was just dumb-founded. So, I said "three" to which he replied "four". By now I was laughing and couldn't get onto him. At least he is learning something at daycare! He is really my little handful.
Mason is recovering awesomely. (Is that a word??) We have always known he has a high pain tolerance due to the kidney stones, but he is sailing through this tonsil thing. I stayed home with him today, and he gets to stay with all his grandmothers the rest of the week. He should be good and spoiled by the weekend.
Wish me luck on all my finals and getting through this crazy time! I'll try to post more often.