So, I’ve finally narrowed it down. I want to attend Texas Tech’s one-year, online BS-to-BSN. It was really my original idea, and after looking at lots of other options, I’ve come back to it. I need to take one more class, pathophysiology, which I will complete in the spring at Austin Community College. I also need to complete a medical terminology course and become a certified nursing assistant. I will apply in the fall of 2010 and hopefully get in for their 2011 program. And if I don’t get in, I will look at my options again. For now, unless God smacks me on the head and tells me to do something else, this is what I want to stick with. I’m so tired of being overwhelmed with all the options.

In the meantime, I need a job. I mean, really. Please Jesus let me get a good job. Anytime you think about it, please say a prayer about this. I’m trying to keep my head up and leave it at God’s feet, but month after month we’re not making ends meet. Still, God hasn’t let us starve, so I’m not worried per se … I’ll just be glad to finally be through this tunnel, let’s just put it that way.

One more month and I will be done with this semester. So, with this 2nd college career, I’ll have anatomy & physiology I and II, microbiology, science of nutrition, computers in health, statistics and lifespan/human growth & development under my belt. I’ve had A’s in everything but statistics, and that’s looking like it’ll be a B. I can’t wait to see what my cumulative GPA combining both degrees is.

Anyway, blah blah blah. The kids are doing well. Both are learning to read pretty well … I love to watch them progress. They crack me up every single day. And now that I’m finally getting a break away from them – they’re in school while I’m in school – it’s making our time together much better. Before, I NEVER got breaks. Pretty much just mommy-mode 24/7 for almost 6 years. I very rarely ever got a date night or girls’ night out. Not to say that Jay isn’t a big help … but still. I am definitely not feeling guilty about putting my kids in school vs. homeschooling them because we’re all thriving and our time together is much more quality time than it was before. I appreciate them a lot more now. Amazing what a little distance will do for you!

I still have nights when I’ve got homework and they’re playing together – but I love the fun times we do have together. This is a fun age for both of them. I love the questions they ask me and to see their creativity and sense of humor emerging. It makes my heart happy.

Hillsong From The Inside Out

My prayer ….

Fall continues to fly by. My classes are going well, I’m still working a part-time job at the school and looking for other work, and the kids are enjoying their respective schools. I often feel like I’m in a day-in, day-out rut of laundry, dishes, homework and driving places (wash, rinse, repeat) … but I’ve been purposefully stopping more often lately to marvel at how much God has blessed us with.

Honestly, times look pretty bleak. We can’t make ends meet month in and month out, and my job search keeps coming up fruitless. But God keeps blessing us left and right, keeping us afloat. I know God has a plan for our family, and I’m not going to stop believing that. It’s hard not to get discouraged sometimes, though – but I always snap out of it by praying for peace and thinking of all the many good things we DO have.

The biggest blessing being our precious children (precious to US, anyway). They are at such a wonderful age. There are plenty of frustrations with sassing and sibling rivalry, but their wit and creativity keeps us smiling each day. I stop frequently and marvel at how much they’ve learned and grown. This past week, Gabriel sounded out and wrote down the word “Pokemon.” His teacher at school, as well as his speech therapist, say he is progressing well. He is in the category of “emergent reader” now – reading slowly and haltingly, still needing help – but giving it a really good effort! He’s actually ahead of Mikaela in this now (I thought she’d pick up reading quickly) – she too often tries to guess the word instead of sounding it out.

Also this week, Mikaela informed us that she wanted me to go to the grocery store and buy her some “Pink Lady” apples. All of a sudden, she knows all about apple varieties. They must’ve discussed them at school.

This fall here in central TX has been delightfully cool, and we’ve gotten plenty of much-needed rain for our parched region. My sinuses and lungs have already given me what-for, so hopefully I’ll be healthy the rest of the season. I often miss enjoying fall events because of bronchitis. Maybe the allergy meds are working this year. Or perhaps I’ve built up an immunity.

So, this weekend I think I’m taking the kids to a pumpkin patch. I’ve been wanting to go to one for … oh, ever since the kids were born?

Gabriel went to a semi-patch on a school field trip last year. It was actually more like a pile of pumpkins on a few crates outside of a church … not exactly a true pumpkin patch. And he was having trouble smiling that day, so my pictures aren’t the greatest.

Speaking of Gabriel, he likes his new school. The teacher seems truly concerned for him, but the jury’s still out on her in general. She seems very brusque and businesslike. I’d much prefer for my kids to have teachers with warm, friendly personalities … but if she turns out to be a great teacher, I guess I’ll get over it. I know I’m highly critical of my kids’ teachers … but they’re taking care of my precious children, can you blame me?

Mikaela is also doing well in kindergarten at her school. Her teacher says she’s doing just as well as the other students (and better than some), who are a year older than her. What stinks is that she’ll likely have to repeat kindergarten next year. It seems no other schools are keen on the idea of accepting a younger student early, and since the school she’s going to now is not accredited, in essence, this year doesn’t count. Bummer.

We’ll have the new elementary school built by next year, and it’s right down the street from us. I’m assuming, unless I have a fabulous, well-paying job by then, that the kids will both be there.

Speaking of jobs (don’t you love my segues?), I’m still on the hunt. It’s brutal out there. I’m trying to write really catchy cover letters, but I can’t ever seem to get past the 2nd interview. Ugh. Say a prayer for me about that if you think of it …

So I’m midway through my fall semester at the college I go to. I’m taking microbiology, statistics and lifespan/human growth and development (a psychology course). I have A’s in micro and psych … let’s not talk about statistics. Well, I’m doing okay … just not quite at an “A” level. :/

I’ve been busy with that and my part-time anatomy lab aide job at the school; I’ve also been desperately looking for another job, to no avail. I can’t understand why I can’t seem to find work; I’ve been looking for a long, long time. I get an interview here or there, and even second interviews, but I can’t seem to close the deal. I think I interview really well, too … but I just apparently keep coming in second. Can I even tell you how frustrated I am?

I can’t even find work at Wal-mart or Target. I’ve applied all over the place. Please, if you’re the praying type, pray something turns up soon.

Anyway, unfortunately, my lack-of-a-job forced me to pull Gabriel out of the private school he was going to and put him back in public. At least he’ll get free speech therapy there, and I’ve heard really good things about his teacher. But it’s still a bit heartbreaking to have to make a decision like that.

After this first week, Gabriel really seems to like it, so I’m feeling somewhat better. Mikaela is still at a private school because she is still too young to attend public. She is doing really well and keeping up with her classmates, who are a year older than her.

We are wading into the homework years with both kids, so our afternoons and evenings are abuzz with their homework, my homework, and getting things ready for the next day. How do people fit in lessons and other activities?!?

Sorry I don’t have anything more interesting to say. My days are long and I’m tired and more than a little emotionally weary. Hopefully things will look up soon …

I did NOT go to the ER the other night with a 103-degree fever, dressed in my pj’s, black non-skid footwarmers and brown suede clogs. And further I did NOT decide, after my chest x-ray, to return home sans bra because I was so tired. Nooooo … not me. Nope. Innocent, I swear.

Both kids have bronchitis and fevers. Today, sniffling through a 102-degree temperature and cough and looking quite pitiful, Mikaela asked: “Mama, can I go ride my tricycle?”

I replied, “No, baby, not today – you’re sick. Why don’t you go play in your room?”

Mikaela: “I don’t feel like it. I’m too sick.”

In the tradition of other bloggers, I will join in for “Not Me!” Monday.

“Not Me!” Monday is all about something that you did NOT do. Noooooo … not you. Get it?

So. Today, I was schlepping all around campus, trying to track down the person to whom I give my timesheet, when nature called. Must’ve been the liter of Coke. Anyway, before making my next stop, I popped into the restroom in the computer lab. It reminded me of my elementary school’s restroom, complete with the small tile with nasty-looking grout. I proceeded into a stall and was face-to-face with what was surely the nastiest toilet on campus. So, I proceeded to … um … hover. Let’s just say I did NOT somehow magically miss the toilet and pee on my flip-flop-shodden foot. NO, not me.

And further, this is NOT the very same toilet I accidentally fell onto once after attempting to hover while wearing a 35-pound backpack on my back (because, ugh, it wasn’t going on that nasty floor). No, not me.

And later upon returning home and recounting this tale that did NOT happen to my loving spouse, did he NOT chime in and exclaim that he’d peed on his foot today too!

Apparently the Plemons need target practice. Or, uh, NOT.

So, the kids are both in kindergarten this year, I’m sure I’ve mentioned. They’re attending a private school and boy is my pocketbook hurting! But the kids seem to be doing great.

They’re using the ABeka Christian curriculum, the same that I grew up using. I love it. Right now they’re working on their handwriting and bringing home homework to practice. Oh, boy that’s like pulling teeth. Slowly but surely they’re getting it, though.

The teacher stopped me the other day when I was on my way out the door to tell me how well my kids were doing and that Mikaela was doing just fine in Kindergarten (she’s 4 but they allowed her to start on K early), and that Gabriel was doing a good job also. That made my heart happy. At least if I can’t teach them myself, they’re in a good, nurturing Christian school with a very small class size and a veteran teacher. I’d love to homeschool again sometime in the future, if only our finances would allow me to do so. I guess we’ll see how that pans out.

I am a lab aide in my school’s anatomy lab. My job is to make sure the students don’t steal our lab models and charts, as well as answer any questions the students may have. That is ALL. But some of the students don’t seem to get that. Here’s a conversation with a woman I had today:

mid-40s woman, heaving backpack onto floor in front of me: so-and-so said you were a tutor and that I could come see you and that you would tutor me.

Me: I’m a lab aide. I can answer any questions that you might have.

Woman: well, I was told that you would help me.

Me: I can’t help you until I know what you’re having issues with.

Woman: Well, I have an antatomy and physiology test Monday.

Me: ….

Woman: You know our professor, Mr. so-and-so? He told me to print off the power point and study it.

Me: I’m not familiar with that professor. What exactly is it you’re having problems with?

Woman: Well, I was told to come hear and you’d tutor me for this test.

Me: Have you studied at all?

Woman: I read it but I can’t understand it.

Me: Well, I can’t help you unless you have specific questions.

Woman: Well, I guess I’m unclear about what your role is here (didn’t I just tell her?!?).

In other words, the woman was coming in to the anatomy lab for the very first time 3 days before her test and wanting me to teach her everything she needed to know. Seriously? How about studying like everybody else? She acted all huffy with me the entire time. The gall of some people!