The Test....

On Wednesday the 16th of May, I went to take my written test for my CNA relicensure. I had studied up on all the terminology and went back through my catalog of memories in nursing homes (pretty self-entertaining..I tell ya')
I had a puppet show in downtown Salt Lake in the late morning, and after the show I decided that it would probably be really smart if I went to find the testing site, as it was also in the South Salt Lake vicinity, and....I am directionally challenged. I finally found the place after driving in just a couple of circles. It was about 11:30 and I was debating on going home and coming back for my 1:30 test. I called Rob to get his opinion..we both concluded that it would be smarter, and cheaper (dang expensive gas!) if I just stayed put. I did happen to have a couple of errands to run that were extremely close, so I went to take care of those. On my way back to the testing center..I decided that I needed some lunch, so I stopped at Wendy's, mmmmmmmm yummy! Now, I have been known to be just slightly lactose intolerant..so I should have known better than to do what I did. I ordered a strawberry shake with my meal. Usually, if there is going to be a problem, I know within 15 minutes and I figured (with my fuzzy logic) that I would be fine time wise. Fifteen minutes came and went with no symptoms, so I marched my happy self into the testing center.
I can talk to just about anyone, and as luck would have it, there was a small crowd waiting outside the testing center doors, and we were all taking the same test. So I chatted with everyone for a bit, and then we were called in to register. I verified that I was who I said I was and showed my picture ID, signed the paperwork and my life away. Then they went over some last minute details and told us from this point on, we could not leave. That's about when my belly started protesting....dun da dun dun. We had two hours to complete the test. Fortunately it was all multiple choice. About 10 minutes into it, I was in some pretty considerable discomfort, and by 20 minutes my belly was emitting such loud roars of disapproval that my test neighbors were beginning to give me side long glances of concern. I zipped through 100 questions in 29 minutes! I ran (quickly hobbled) out the door to get signed out. An administrator came back to log me out, looked at me and the time on the screen and asked if I wanted to review anything. I said a strangled "no!" and managed to make it out to the waiting area. I thought they would give me my results immediately, but no...they changed policy and said I would receive them by mail in 5 to 10 days...whatever! "Um, where is your closest bathroom?" Don't worry, I made it......

Yay Me!

As some of you know, I have always wanted to be a nurse. Specifically, a maternity nurse. Pregnancy facinates me, childbirth even more so. Many of you poor folk have had to listen (tune out) as I rambled on incessantly about the subject...thanks for your support, even if it has been torture...
I became a CNA out in California back in '92 or '93...too long ago for me to remember...I have wanted to be a maternity nurse since I was 10...so it all tends to kind of blur...Anyway...I wanted to see if I had what it takes to be a nurse, so I decided I had better start on the bottom most rung. I worked in a couple of nursing homes...it was tough, but I made it! From this experience I learned that I can handle any bodily fluid except vomit (sorry..tmi) I spent several years working in home health care and gained many invaluable experiences there. However..due to a couple of back injuries that occurred while working in nursing homes, I had to quit doing that and can honestly never go back to that environment. I can't do the lifting and am no longer interested in caring for the elderly...and.....I let my liscense lapse....
Fast forward to now....
I sat for my written CNA exam two weeks ago...that is a separate post all of its own....anyhow, I passed! I passed with flying colors as they said...93%.
There is still a second portion...the skills test. I am a bit nervous about this one...as it has been about 10 years since I have used any of it. There is no margin of error with this test and I have to pass with 100%. I spoke to the head proctor yesterday about a refresher course. I left several messages with her hoping to get in on one...she, of course, never called me back. But she did spend quite a bit of time on the phone with me, after my fourth panic striken call, and gave me all sorts of helpful details and assured me that I would do just fine. All the same, I would appreciate any prayers/good thoughts when I go in for this...June 2nd @ 7:30 a.m.
I am almost assured a job at the new Murray IHC maternity center if I pass everything...I am so excited by the possibility, I can't even begin to describe it...
I am so motivated at this point to FINALLY get going on achieving my dream, that I even called the Salt Lake Community College advisement center. I am going in at noon today to speak with a counselor about getting into the nursing program! 'Bout dang time...I've certainly done enough talking about it to last a lifetime!
Another bonus about this whole situation, is that by working for IHC, they will pay for my nursing school. I work for them 24 hours a week and sign a contract that I will work for them for awhile after I graduate, and I am covered!! What a win - win!!!

Worms....only with legs...

When I brought these adorable furballs home for my daughter to enjoy, I was promised that they were sexed..."so you don't end up with more!" I'm such a sucker!!! We ended up with two males and two females, and by the time I figured it out..one of the girls was pregnant!

Brenna is now the proud hamster grandma of three lil' wriggling red worm things..but with legs. That was her description....she is so proud, and I am looking for hamster homes...


Anyone want one??? They are known as Dwarf Campbells.....

Sigh....thought I would throw that one out there just in case anyone was interested....

Peese Muster??

cBrenna is hamster obsessed. She has been begging for months for us to let her get a hamster. Never mind that her mother is violently allergic to most rodents, she wanted one! After listening to her finageling and various promises, we finally caved. Rob did his shopping homework and found a lady doing pet rescue who was giving away some 'adorable dwarf hamsters'....and they were sexed so that you would not end up with more. What a deal!

So, on a lovely spring day in April, I went to go pick up a hamster. When I got to the house, the lady answered the door, and she was in tears, she had just had to put a cat to sleep and was profusely apologizing about her emotional state. I have been accused a time or two of being too soft hearted, and I couldn't resist giving her a hug and telling her it would be alright. She was a very lovely person and an avid animal lover, her house was full of pets of all kinds. After talking with her awhile, she went down to get the hamsters. She came back up with a cage containing 4 hamsters. They were very small, fluffy, and adorable. I couldn't pick just one. I think the pet lady capitalized on my indecision and told me if I took all 4, I could have the cage as a long term loaner. I was sold and toted the furballs home.

Naturally, the kiddos were obsessed and the hamsters got way overindulged. Quentin was the most intrigued and was into them nonstop. Quentin is way adorable for a 2 1/2 year old and he is gaining quite the vocabulary and his own unique way of pronouncing things. Now, he is my fourth child, and you would think that after going through three other toddlers that I would have the 'toddler speak' thing down.......ummmmmmmmm.....nope.

For three solid days, Quentin would come to me and grab my hand..."peese musters mommy? Musters?" What? You want mustard? How odd..... It wasn't until I was toting a load of folded clothes upstairs to the boys room, that I got it. Quentin was in his sisters room, holding a hamster under her supervision, and laughing gleefully. He saw me, held up the hamster and said,"Wook mommy, muster!!!"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! That's what you meant!!

Wow...It's bright.....

The Rob Fox family has finally come out of the dark ages of internet-dom and has obtained high speed internet!!! Until 1:30 p.m. MST we were on Juno's dial-up. Don't get me wrong, we knew about high-speed and all, we just couldn't swallow the astronomical charges.
About a month ago, Rob's laptop took one last feeble gasp and gave up the ghost, it was very sad and might have almost bordered on tragic if not for the wondrous talents of BIL Jesse Harris and his nifty flash drive. We were able to save all our photos, documents and such, but we now had nowhere to put them......so Rob went shopping. Generally in the relationship, the woman is the shopper...not so here! Unless it is a scrapbook store, I hate shopping! I have in mind what I want, I go in the store, get it, and get out! Not Rob, he loves to look for deals and he takes the time to research if it is a major purchase. Me, I'm just too impatient. So for us, it is more economically sound to let Rob do the purchasing. Back to Rob's laptop search......
Rob decided on a MacBook Pro and it was quite the steal, so it was ordered and arrived 2 days later. It is a very nice looking machine, if I do say so myself, and we had some enjoyable moments checking it out. Rob comments..."There is no phone jack..." "What?" I say, "How could that be?" It was at that moment that it hit me....dial up is obsolete! How did we get away with it for this long? Sigh....
A couple of weeks later Rob found another killer deal on a desktop and brought that home...once again, no phone jack...alas....what to do??
Bring on the sunglasses folks and welcome to the future!!!