My future.

Ahhh this is the cloud that hangs over me ALL THE TIME.  What to do with MY future?  What to do with MY education?  What to do with MY career?

As a mom, and especially as a stay-at-home mom, I think I've pretty much succumbed to the idea that this is my life (for now).  My kids, my husband, my home, my dog and my husband's practice are my "job".  I'm in a very supporting role and I like it - but I know my potential is MUCH more than this.  I run into moments where my brain (if it had a voice) is crying - screaming - for some attention.  And so my husband and I have had more conversations than I can count discussing what to do with my future.  What are my interests? What are my passions?  What should I finish my degree in? Up until recently, the answers have been foggy.  I couldn't pin-point or plan for much of anything because I just didn't know what I wanted.  I couldn't decide.

As I said, only up until recently.  So what have I figured out?  I love babies, birth, pregnancy, health, women's rights, politics (some), wellness, nutrition and my family. So here is my path that I am *****hoping***** upon hoping to implement and follow thru on.   I am on a course to be finish my doula certification on time - by the end of February 2012.  With that in my back pocket, I plan to get CNA certified (whether through a class or from a part-time j.o.b.) by the end of this summer - take prerequisite coursework from the Fall of 2012 until the Fall of 2013 at which time I'll be enrolling into an Accelerated BSN program.

That's right ladies and gents - its nursing school for this chica.  Why BSN you ask?  Well, when considering the most cost/time effective and efficient way to get involved into those things I listed above - in all honesty - I should have and need to have a medical background.  I also already have a Bachelor's degree and don't feel like doing a 4 year program or simply a graduate level program all over again.  Nursing jobs provide a lot of flexibility (if you can find the right stuff) and offer great benefits.  I know they are hard - but I'm a tough girl and like to work hard, I like to be challenged and I thrive with new things.  

One of the craziest parts to planning and mapping this out is realizing that when I'm done, Keller will be 5 and Lucy will be 3! Wow.  Both young but SO much older than they are now.  SO much life is going to happen between now and then and I welcome it all.  Obviously, this new path is going to bring about difficulties I can't even anticipate; but I think, and my husband agrees, the benefits of a path like this are much much greater than the sacrifices or the challenges.

Wish me luck!

Until next time...