Rest Up

Tomorrow begins an experience that I will never, ever live through again. I'm going to my first RN job's hospital orientation. Sure, maybe some day I'll relive this, slightly augmented, probably several times if I'm truthful with myself, but I will never again go from a life of academia and parents to the life of a full-time, full-tax-paying adult in America. 

If you know me in real life, or perhaps you can just tell by my riveting blog posts, I am a bit of a nervous Nancy, anxiety-holding, scared lunatic. I have almost-crippling social anxiety, in that I find every single possible way to not be entirely extroverted, but still maintain a more-than-a-hermit reputation. 

So, just so you know, I'm walking into a position where there are 10 of us, heaven knows our back grounds, and we'll spend 5 days a week for 9 months learning the trade of the operating nurse (scrub tech and circulating nurse). We won't be together except our first month, but I'm willing to bet that I'll crave their love like a lost puppy. Perhaps they'll crave mine as well. 

And to tell you more, as it is I can't sleep and I'm scared of the night mares I'll have when I finally do slumber (since the night before NCLEX was a literal acid trip). A lot of what I understand about this residency comes from the interview I had nearly a quarter of a year ago. I think we all wanted the same thing - stability. 

So now, 7 hours before I awake and 9 hours before it all truly begins, it feels weird that all I feel is instability. I know nothing, I fear everything, and nothing can help but time. 

And probably sleep, if there weren't night mares involved.

I'm excited to share this chapter with you. 

Rest up. 

I'm Back! Post Nursing School

Well obviously I am very bad at blogs, but I shall try to redeem myself once again, if not until my first adult-grown-up job begins in two weeks.

Nursing school is over, and since a lot has happened since then, I will sum up quickly:

JI after party with Mischa.

Family party, let's watch the progression of my cousin Bryan and my brother Jay.

Bestest with the me...est? Jordan, freshman roomie and Marissa meet up. 

Then this beauty let me over-crowd her native city, Houston.

Meet up with the Cinemark loves, Keslie, Noel, Helen and Shaun.

JII made infinity better with this chica, Sheila.

Always a good time with Paiger, but some how always blurry?... 

Then this pretty boy graduated high school, and ran away to Arkansas.

Then I started 2 tech jobs, but still had a blast all summer with this hottie Katelyn. <3

Then Mini gave birth to Lily, and I suddenly realized how in love with another person I could be. She's a diva, princess, star, but she will always be the precious baby that slept on my chest. 

Then my new roomie, Nicole, passed NCLEX and we learned everything about alcohol. 

Then Linds and I obsessed about the baby.

Then we packed this boy up and moved him in. </3

30 pounds lighter, Marissa and Kaleigh visit Jordan and I in the big D. 

That one time mom and I went to the State Fair Park for her quilting and my... Fried Oreos and The Addams Family play. 

Sheila's birthday with Laurie. 

Mini's birthday with Haley Rae.

Happy New Year's to my loves Casey and Nicole. 

Then I disrupted Ark for a bit, and hung out all weekend with Joe and Morgan. 

 Then we had a beautiful Thanksgiving with the wonderful MacDonald family, Elaine and Sean shown here to represent the six siblings. Had a blast doing Black Friday incorrectly all morning.

Spent an evening at the Chinese Lights Festival. 

Spent a night in Fort Worth to see the Nutcracker with Honors alum. 

Then watched my beautiful Linds walk across the stage with her OR job tightly tucked underneath her belt. 

The Nicole, her boyfriend Austin and Casey joined me in a pursuit of music at How the Edge Stole Christmas.

Then my wonderful cousins Erin and Bryan came home. 

This adequately represents our relationship.

Then Jay had surgery, and took the morphine like a champ.

Then I had my last undergrad trip with the Honors Program to Paris, France. Seeing as a couldn't pick out less than 14 pictures, this will probably be my next post. Fatima, Sara, Alexandra, Ashley, Chelsea, Sarah F., Anna, Morgan, tour-guide-director-Chris, Larisa and Dr. Burns, fearless leader.

Finally in SII! 

Went to the Aquarium with these beautiful girls, Fatima and Larisa, and the rest of the Honors crew.

Possibly, might've made my family take me to see the Perot Museum. <3

This boy came home for a bit. 

Austin introduced me to Alt-J and kindly took me along with his family and Nicole to see them in concert. It was here that I realized I am grade-A heart breaker, as my would-be suiter threw up across the floor and was escorted out of the concert before it had finished.

Then I did this weird thing called zip line by myself with a pretty awesome group of kids.

I make Katelyn take a lot of pictures...

Then Bry came home for a minute!

Then Kayla, Sheila and I road tripped to San Antonio, and met Melinda at the AWHONN convention where we proudly displayed our Honors Capstones. Our last night, Kayla got a surprise lap dance. :) 

And I ended the month in a boot, stress-fracture, high-heels related....

I was inducted in the Nursing Honors Society Sigma Theta Tau, Beta Beta chapter.

Had a little grad shoot with my daddy. <3

Jay so delightfully came through the Rock when he visited friends in C-Stat.

I am so grateful for everyone! My best friend Katelyn graciously came to my Honors Banquet and I shared the night with Kayla, Sheila and JWil, our honors advisor. We missed Clarissa, but she is forever in our hearts an Honors girl. My Capstone won the Junior/Senior submission for Off the Quill, but I spent most of the night feel very bitter sweet about graduation...

We went out to the Shops for a little... Pre celebration. :)

Casey and I road tripped to Denton, along with a few other Dallasonites, for the Senior Breakfast. But boy was I sure glad for the wake up call, we received TWU pins from SGA, alum license plate holders, and alum car stickers. I was also fortunate enough to see the beautiful face of Ms. Sarah W.

Movies and ice cream, although I can't be an adult because I spill ice cream all over myself, although I'm pretty good at the ice trick now.

Last shin dig of nursing school! Sadly felt sick that day, but had quite a celebration with the class: Casey, Laurie, Mischa, Haley, Sheila, Kim and Mini. <3

I. Got. Decked. Out.

The younger Honors girls gave us a beautiful end-of-the-year party at their apartment complex, and JWil graced us with her presence.

At the all-important Pinning Ceremony. Spent the night celebrating with family, friends and at Katelyn's apartment with a slew of friends.

Then ya know, normal people graduation. The three Honors girls. Of course, as my name is Anderson, I started off the procession and was the first to graduate. :)

Then this girl took me across the world to Choctaw for a wonderful 24 hours of nonsense.

Blah blah more graduation.

Then my cousin Erin came down for a bit...

And we met up in Boston to celebrate Bryan's graduation from BU.

Then we took a trip to El Paso to celebrate Elaine's graduation and upcoming education at Columbia University.

Just the best pic of Fatima and I. Ever.

She wild.

Spent the night at Nicole's new house in Fort Worth to celebrate her birthday, new house and new ER job!

Then Casey humored me and drove me to ATX...

And we met the glamorous Hannah Hart <3

And went to Sixth Street and met some pretty interesting people... All night...

Then I took the next 7 days off from partying, and spent them in Starbucks preparing for the biggest test of my life. Of course, along with tests come anxiety, so I got a triple shot grande to help me push through 5 hours of sleep and night mares. It did pretty well (spoiler alert: I passed and am now Mary, BSN, RN!)

Then it was Lily's first birthday, and of course I struggled with procrastination and came up with this at the last moment.

My favorite picture from ATX.

Lily's parents: Mini and Nugget <3

But now it's all over. At least for two weeks, then the struggle of learning what will become my life for the next 3 3/4 years will be like. It's exciting, thrilling, anxiety-ridden...

But I guess I'll just scrap book until that day comes. <3