< two weeks

Yes, in less than two weeks we go back to school, we as in LB, AW and me.

We three spent the day on Friday shopping for clothes and supplies. We did well with saving some bucks during the VA Tax Free Holiday. The boys made it pretty easy. I have to say I'm rather appreciative of the fact that they both chose to shop in the same three stores! LB is more of my athlete/jock type kid and AW is the skater boy. He's not so "emo" anymore and is branching away from the all black repertoire of that culture. PacSun, Journeys and Zumiez are all stores that cater to the skater/surfer/snowboarder types.

Really the boys picked out nothing more than jeans and t-shirts. I found it kind of ironic. In previous years LB has wanted to shop at stores like Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, etc. He's worn polos. Not this year. He'll wear polos he already has, but he had not interest in buying new ones. They both also got their regular shoes and LB got a pair of running shoes.

One might wonder why not just go to Walmart or some other discount chain store is all they're going to wear is jeans and t-shirts. Well, if you have teens you may know how picky they can be about branding.

Anyway...

I checked yesterday and it is official, I made a C in my A&P class. Because I expected nothing more I am not totally shocked, but it is my first college C ever. Hopefully it wont be the norm in the next year. If so, at least it will get me where I need to be, which is graduated with my ADN.

I've received all of my textbooks and have started reading my med/surg book. The first chapter has been nothing more than a review of previous material. I've also added the online supplements for my texts to my study folder.

The schedule will leave me with less time to study during the day than I've had in previous semesters. I'll be sitting down with the guys sometime soon and reiterating the whole be prepared for mom to be a frantically studying, sometimes present-but-not-present being. It goes as follows:

Monday: Second Level Principles and Concepts 0900-1200, Essentials of Maternal/Newborn Nursing 1200-1500 (I guess we'll eat lunch while receiving lecture...)
Tuesday: Health Assessment 1000-1200
Wednesday: Clinicals 0645-1445
Thursday: Clinicals 0645-1445
Friday: no class, just study time

As the days go on I get more and more excited. There are little life experiences here and there that remind me of why I want to become a nurse. These experiences lead me to press on with this ambition and help to put my insecurities at bay.

oh deer

In Northern Virginia, the area we live in, it is almost inevitable that someday, at some point, you will hit a deer. If yesterday couldn't have gotten any worse, my time of impact arrived in a flash.

The day started out perfectly. I woke up on the right side of the earth. Lately it seems as if I've not only awakened on the wrong side of the bed, but the earth too. February 2nd, 2008, started out blissfully.

The boys both had sleepovers, and the great room was filled with not only teenage boys, but a couple of 11 year olds as well.

The plans for the day included me going to Quantico, and on my way I would drop off a couple of BZ's friends. After dropping the first of two off BZ started asking me about replacing cell phones, and how it could be accomplished, say if one was broken or lost. I thought it kind of weird, as it was out of the blue. Well after dropping the second boy off I found out exactly why LB inquired about replacing cell phones. He had lost his.

To shorten this story, the teenage boys snuck out after Big B and I went to bed, leaving the younger two in their wake, promising not to snitch. During their outing that consisted of them hiding when cars would approach on their way into town BZ's phone went missing.

I don't know, isn't there a reason we should follow rules!? So yeah, not a fun thing to deal with: kids breaking rules, and losing expensive equipment.

Then later another of BZ's friends invited him over for the evening. Well after the earlier mishaps he was placed on restriction. He begged, and a deal for restitution was made. He was to call the other four boys, and inform them he'd been busted, we as his parents wouldn't call theirs, but they should do the right thing. Amazingly enough he set out and completed this task. One thing I will say is he is a very lucky person to have the wonderful friends he does. (May sound terribly ironic, if not contradictory...) Enough said to that point.

Fast forward to picking BZ up from his friends house: I once again, agreed to drop one of the other guys at their house on our way home. After doing so we continued on our journey in the land o' Sumerduck (forested areas, winding roads, rural communities, so on. Get the picture?)

Virginia is not a well lit state. At this one point, approaching a church, because it is one of the more luminous areas we could see a deer making it's way toward the very road we were traveling. Oh no! Please don't! BAM! Thud.

Excuse me while a rush of nausea passes over me.

OK, well I'd remembered hearing you should check to see if said deer is still living, so I did and she in fact was. Ugh. So I attempted to call the Sheriff's office to no avail, and proceeded to call 911. Don't fret, in this area although we do have our fair share of emergencies I'm sure I wasn't taking away from too much for "just a deer".

I gave my location, name and number. Because it was left to my discretion , and BZ was in the car with me, and I was incredibly upset, I decided to proceed home. I really couldn't sit there and watch her struggle any longer.

If you know me you know I am an animal lover, and being this was my first, and hopefully only time, hitting a deer I was, still am, affected. It will take a while to get the vision of her head poking up over the ditch that she landed in out of my head.

Another tide of nausea...

This is all not to mention the love for my Chevy. I knew there had to be damage, although in my then current state of denial I so hoped there wouldn't be any. She was a young deer, and on the smaller side. So maybe? Ha! The right passenger side bumper was crushed inward with strands of her coat remaining. Fortunately, Big B was able to pull the crushed in portion out so it doesn't look incredibly as unfortunate as before, but it is indeed cracked, and there is a dent in the adjacent, anterior portion of the body.

Can we say deductible? more nausea...

Sure it's tax season, but we already have a A/C unit to replace....for our house. Yeah, 2007 wasn't the best year. This year sure is starting out with a crash...no pun intended.