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Thursday, January 3, 2013

2013

2013 is here already. Happy New Year!

This is the year I'm half-way finished nursing school.  Honestly, it seems like yesterday that I gathered up all my courage, left my office and headed back to the classroom for the first time since 1998. 

What I find somewhat disconcerting, is thinking back to just how fast the past 1.5 years have flown by.  Had I not taken that step to go back to school, I realize how quickly the years fly by, doing work that is less than stimulating and engaging.  How easily I could have still been where I was in my career I realize how quickly this 4 year back-to-school stint is flying by, despite it seeming like an eternity before I started, when just thinking about making the change. 

And while I do miss my income, living as a family of five on one salary is very, very do-able.  It's a question of priorities.  Our priority is family, fun, happiness and creating wonderful memories for all of us and childhoods for our children.  It doesn't take copious amounts of money to create a great childhood.  It takes parents having time and energy to make it happen.  Now that my husband and I are no longer rushing around like two whirling dirvishes, making sure the bare minimum of home/child-obligations are done to keep our household functioning, we are actually enjoying the process of raising kids and living our lives, not just getting through every day. 

I do miss working, I will admit.  Its the 'going to work' aspect that I miss.  Having to be somewhere at a certain time, to do a certain thing.  I guess its the adult in me, who has been in the workforce.  Going to classes just isn't the same, somehow, even though it fits all the criteria of working.  My first clinical rotation will start next week, and so I'm quite certain that I'll feel like I'm working again, even though I won't be receiving an income. But the beauty of nursing school and this career change, is that I know I will be working again, probably before I realize it (if school continues to fly by as fast as the first three terms have!). 

Like most people, the new year is a time of introspection and goal setting.  My resolutions and goals for 2013 are pretty much the same as every year, and every year I get better and better at reaching my goals.  I wish to be more physically active (maintain my 5 km/day runs), to appreciate and enjoy the little moments even more (thank you www.handsfreemama.com!!!), to keep working at being better organized and keep the house better de-cluttered (a perpetually on-going Herculean task!) and simply have even more fun.

We have a few more days of calm at home, days which I fully tend to enjoy.  The next 12 weeks promise to be very challenging, will require the utmost organization on my part to keep the family/home life going smoothly, and also promise to be 'the' most interesting nursing school term to date -- bring on clinical rotations.  I am so looking forward to starting clinicals, and writing about the experiences.

Happy New Year everyone!  Spread the love and gratitude in your lives.

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