Snow day

Happy New Year! Yes I know it is the 11th of January, so I'm running a bit late. Today is a snow day for us, the second this week. We had about six inches of snow and now a layer of ice on top which makes the conditions very messy.

We had about six to seven inches of snow the day after Christmas as well. Both snows were beautiful. I enjoyed sitting by the window and watching the silent snow fall to the ground and blanket us with white. Walking into the back yard was so nice. Something about the snow covering the ground that makes everything so quiet and peaceful. Like an insulator from the rest of the hustle and bustle of daily life. It was completely quiet. Normally you can hear the roar from the distant highway or the military planes going overhead. But for a time, everything was quiet. Almost as if I were in a cabin deep in the woods. Nice little winter break from the normal routine of life.

Inside the house is warm and toasty. We are all home together. A rare thing now days. Andrew sits at his computer, I at mine only a few feet away at the kitchen table. Noah is in the living room playing Star Wars Lego on the Wii. The girls sit across the room from one another each on her own laptops. The modern day family time. At least we are all together and we share a laugh or a story every once in a while.

On the stove is a pot of Zuppa Toscana ready for a warm, hearty lunch. All seems right in the world. At least in our little part. No one has anything pressing to do or work on. Just a few extra moments of leisure given as a gift to our otherwise busy lives. In a day or two all will return to normal. Noah will go back to school, Andrew will return to the business of building and scheduling and deadlines. Lauren will go back to work for what will be her last week at her current job. More on that later. Megan will resume her school work and I will return to the chores of cleaning house, washing laundry and transporting Megan and Noah here and there. But just for a couple of days, we are free, suspended here together in one place just enjoying a chance to just relax and do nothing of much consequence, but just to enjoy.

So back to Lauren's job issue. She has finally decided to return to college! For which I am so thankful. So she will be leaving her full time job and seeking part time employment while she attends classes. She has an interview tomorrow afternoon for what I hope will become her new work. She will be taking classes on Tuesday and Thursday's. This semester she has enrolled in three classes. Her major; Criminal Justice with Latent Evidence Technology. She hopes to work in a crime lab. She then plans to continue her educational pursuits in the field of psychology, possibly going on to get a masters in psychology. But for now, one step at a time. I am thankful she has decided to take the first step.

Speaking of first steps, I have enrolled in a class this semester. I have for years considered going back to school to pursue a Radiography degree. I currently have a BS in Social Science with a history minor. I taught school for a short time, but have never really used my degree for any other gainful employment. To be quite honest, I have no desire to work in that field anymore. At one time I suppose I did, however, with time I have found that is not really of much interest to me. I have been attracted to the medical field in some form or fashion.

Seven years ago I checked into the program, and even went as far as doing some of the pre-req work of shadowing in a Radiology department. During that time, Andrew and I decided to try to have another child. Not long afterwards, I got pregnant. But it was not to be, I had a miscarriage at twelve weeks. At that time, the company Andrew works for moved us to Little Rock, Arkansas. Within three weeks I was pregnant again. This time we were blessed with our wonderful gift from God; Noah. What a great and awesome gift! So for the next few years I was busy with more important things than going back to school. I did however, during this time think of possible entering the nursing field at some point, and I continued to entertain the idea of radiography. Like with everything else in my life, I find that if there is something that you really want, if you are patient, God will bring the opportunity back around later on down the road of life. So many things in my life has shown this to be true.

So here we are several years and two states later, Noah is now in pre-school and I am offered the opportunity to pursue this option for my life. So one step at a time. I have a couple of pre-req classes that are required that weren't required for my first degree. Those being science. Chemistry and Biology specifically. The chemistry class wasn't offered at a time this semester that I was able to take it. Noah's school is only three hours a day, so I was working within that time frame or an evening class. But the Biology was offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. So I am taking Anatomy and Physiology I. I am very excited about it, however, a bit nervous at the same time. I haven't been in a classroom setting since graduating nearly thirteen years ago. I have also been told that Anatomy and Physiology is a pretty tough course. But I am sure that with God's help, I will manage to do fine.

I am excited by the new doors of opportunity that are opening. It will take some time, but like the Earl Nightingale quote goes :

"Don't let the amount of time to do a thing hinder you from doing it. The time will pass anyway, so you might as well put that passing to the best possible use."

So the journey begins. One step at a time and eventually I will get there. The journey of a thousand miles...