"Wait, are you serious?"

That was my response when Dr. Pikul called "Ashley Garrett" during the lottery this morning for the Human Anatomy class. I couldn't believe my ears. 

I went to a class last night and didn't get picked. I skipped the second section that evening because I was already home and I doubted I would have gotten picked...plus The Bachelor was on. HA. 

This morning, there were 3 sections which meant 3 chances to be picked out of the lottery. I left, thinking I had plenty of time for the 9:30 class. I got to campus in time, but due to the HORRENDOUS traffic and parking, I was late and knew I couldn't just waltz into the classroom 5 minutes after and expect him to have not already started the lottery, let alone let me add my name to the list after being tardy.

So, I waited an hour and a half for the next section. Just chillin' in my car. Time came and I started for the classroom. As I approached the building, I realized I locked my keys in the car. GREAT. I came all this way, and I probably won't get picked.  Not to mention, this is the 3rd or 4th time I've locked the keys in the car and it's such a hassle! I called my dad really quick to ask him for a really, really big favor. I told him I'd call him back after calling the apartment complex about letting him into my apartment to get the spare key. All the meanwhile, I'm getting my name added to the list of 60 other names. I wait for the lottery before stepping out to call the Apt. complex. 4 spots. 4 chances. 60 names. Crap. 

At this point, I'm already zoning out. Going through the motions type attitude, thinking "Get it over with so I can get my dad on his way to come pick me up!" 4 numbers are drawn. First name: "Ashley Garrett."

Say what?! 

I was so shocked, students had a good chuckle at my astonishment. All the sudden, locking my keys in the car wasn't looking so bad :) I did not think I'd be in school this semester. Glad I was wrong!

I had been praying lately about what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. I know my calling in life is to be a mother. There is no doubt about it and it's all I think about and dream about. But I knew I needed to provide a way for myself to earn a living should Max ever leave this life unexpectedly. Read this story to see where this realization hit harder than it has before.

And let's face it, it feels good knowing I can have a job that's really worth it. Can't say that being a cashier at a grocery or retail store is life changing, you know?

Back to prayers... I needed help. Help push me in any direction that I should really pursue. You get a little lost when you're feeling down and I needed reassurance. The fact that I was the first name pulled, with all the odds against me, was an answer to my prayer and an act of God nudging me in the direction I should keep pursuing. I am feeling pretty grateful and I know it's because of Heavenly Father that I'm in this class right now. 

All good things come from God.

close call

| |  <--- that's how close I came to dropping out of my classes this semester. Go back and look at it again. Yeah, that was close. I did drop my Public Speaking class though, lighten the load, ya know? My Microbiology class is kicking my butt and I want to scream at it. Pretty sure I had a break down yesterday so I can check that off my list...

I even said that I didn't think Nursing was my call in life... maybe it was something else. I wanted something to come naturally to me and let's face it... learning about a bunch of microbial bacteria and fungus and all that other crap just doesn't come naturally! Max said I should finish the semester and see how I feel about it then. I'll probably end up sticking with it if I survive this class. I hear it's the hardest one out of the science classes. True?

Max loves to say that anything worth having is going to be hard. Or any career worth achieving is going to challenge me in the worst way possible. Well... he says something like that. You get it. Right?

Here's to peer pressure! ...and an education.

 

Oh, hey

So much has been happening, life hasn't been this busy in a long time and gotta say, I'm loving it. What's been going on you say? I'll tell ya.

1. My parents' house flooded so everything is stacked on the tile or stored away in boxes. Yes, the new floors we installed just a matter of 8 months ago had to be ripped up. RIPPED. UP. Needless to say, it will be a long process before the house is normal again. On the upside... this is a great time to purge EXCESS stuff! And I love organizing... don't you get that warm, fuzzy feeling too?

2. I am in the process of painting the frames from our picture wall collage. Yep. All the different colors were kinda bothering me, so I spray painted them white and then applied a brown glaze to make them cream colored, plus a little extra definition in the details of some of the frames. I still need to do more glazing to get the right color so I'll post the AFTER picture when I get there...

 3. I made a bow-tie too small for anyone. Hence the reason it's fit snug on the top of my vase. I can now say I can tie a real bow-tie though! I'm sure I'll make more when I get my little boys ;) I adore bow-ties...

4. Max turned 25 on August 28th! We went down to Paso Robles to visit with the Getz side. It's always fun to go down there and I look forward to it every time. Probably more than he does! haha. Max got in a lot of surfing, I sewed a quilt, we went shopping and out to dinner, and even attended a Cal Poly soccer game per Max's request! It was chilly but fun to do something new.

Isn't he the cutest?!

I also snagged some childhood photos of Max. The one above was taken from my iPhone though and is currently my home screen. I just love seeing that face! It reminds me he was once a sweet little baby haha. Mostly it just lets me fantasize about our own little munchkins for one day...

 5. Both of us had sisters give birth to boys just days between each other!! Two new nephews and I can't wait to see them, and hold them, and love them.

Mack Carver Smith (My sister, Kara's son)

"Unnamed baby" Coons (My S.I.L.'s son)

 6. School. Nuff said.

Happy blogging! Have a great Labor Day weekend, homies!

Schhhh-ool (Insert Megamind)

You know what's frustrating? After about a month of thinking you are enrolled in the classes you want, you realize they aren't what you really want. And what I mean by they aren't what I really want I mean I registered at the wrong campuses! Yeah, not Rocklin. Try Nevada and Tahoe. FAIL.

I had to drop all my classes. And let me tell you, I was so BUH-HUH-UMED. I had this planned out in my head to be done with pre-requisites by the end of Winter semester and that plan kind of got swept off the table... temporarily. LUCKILY, I got 2 of them back (Nutrition and Microbiology), but in the RIGHT location this time. Talk about pain in my rear!

Now, aiming for that second science class I still need to add to my schedule for the Fall... Anatomy, anyone?

Back to School

Thanks to the efforts of my husband and mom, I have mustered up enough motivation to get back into school to pursue another degree in nursing.

This summer, I am taking a Chemistry class, a pre-requisite for a pre-requisite, and it is pretty concentrated! I'm talking Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 2:10 pm! That's a whole lot of Chemistry for the next month and a half.

And I'll be praying every day that I'll make good grades. Enough to qualify me for the next set of science classes at least. More than enough to give me a boost of confidence but let's not get over the top with the wish list, guys...

Anyway, I'm excited. I feel like I'm productive again. I don't feel like I'm just "wasted space" the majority of my day. I'm actually working towards something that means something to me.

And

Happy 8th Birthday to my nephew Max. He's such a sweetheart, I love him to pieces!