Yeeeeeaaaaaaa!!!

I'm in!! After a gut wrenching couple of weeks of preparation and fear, I finally had my interview for the Masters program in counseling. It was a little strange. At times, I felt like I was at the Miss America pageant. Pairs of us had to speak to five different professors, who asked us an array of questions; everything from "How will you fit this into your schedule?" to "What's the difference between a counselor and a social worker?" I had to find that meaningful but nebulous answer that would keep me out of the land of Carrie Prejean.

Once it was over, I really tried to not think about it. I thought it would be a couple of weeks before I heard something, but just a few days later, I get a cellphone call which I at first thought was a telemarketer. Thank God I didn't hang up!! "You're in the program." I finally started to process that statement and I thought I was going to implode.

Now, I have a whole new list of things to consider. How will I plan work and school for the next two and a half years? (It's been recommended to us to work as little as possible during our practicum and intern year. Unrealistic, but true!)

Right now, I'm just basking in the accomplishment of getting in. I think I'll enjoy it for a little while.

Can I breathe yet?

I don't even know why I asked that question. You see how long it's been since my last post. Let me see if I can summarize? Work has been insane for both me and my husband, school has been insane, and we're all stressed out. Did I mention before that I can't wait for Christmas this year?

I finally had the interview for the masters program and I think it went well, but I really don't know what they're looking for and who they'll chose. I'm sure I doing everything I'm supposed to be doing, but I"m nervous anyway. Wish me luck.

I just got back from a retreat and I'm exhausted, so I'm taking the day off. That's only theoretical of course. I have two papers due this week and a boatload of other things, but it's nice to just lay here and not have to think for a couple of minutes.

I'm looking forward to Christmas this year. My brother will be in town from Virginia and we can have a nice family celebration.

Aaahhh, a day off!

Well, not really. I took a day off because I have a take home exam for my multicultural counseling course. I knew if I tried to do this an hour here and an hour there in the evenings with all the family distractions, it would never work. Since this is my first test, I'd really like to knock it out of the park. I'd really like to make a 'B' or higher. This experience will show me if I'm on the right track with my study habits or if I need to do some major tweeking.

You're wondering about the electricity, right? Well, despite my husband's prognostications of doom, it was a minor wiring problem which only cost us $78 to fix. Homeowners are always concerned about home repairs, but when the house is older, you're sure every problem will require major work because things just wear out in some cases. That's the good news. The better news is that we finally got a new dishwasher!!! It's a Frigidaire with a stainless steel look (because I just refused to pay another $50 for true stainless steel) and while I've only used it twice, I'm pleased so far with the results. I also got the three year service plan for $56 since we tend to go through appliances like Kleenex.

Thankfully, my brother was able to install it for us. Just about every store we looked at wanted at least $119 to install a dishwasher. It takes about an hour, but that price seems a little high to me. Thank God for relatives who can fix and install stuff.

Now, if I can just get my bathroom finished!

When it rains, it pours...

Why is that? Is it supposed to be some test of how you can survive the perils of suburban living? We are finally getting to replace our dishwasher with a brand and a finish I'll like. Then my daughter calls me upstairs to tell me that her ceiling fan isn't working. An hour later, my husband tells me that our ceiling fan isn't working. Coincidence? I think not! It's the curse of living in a house that's almost forty years old. While the big back yard is great, sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to live in a house made to my rigorous expectations, green technology in every corner and an outdoor living space that might actually entice me to sleep while gazing up at the stars. Ahhh, to dream!

I suspect we have a simple wiring problem, or a squirrel with a metal deficiency. Either way, we'll wait a day or so and see if the fans come back on. My peripheral problem is that I usually need the air conditioner and ceiling fan to be comfortable while I sleep.

We're at the midway point in school and with every step my confidence goes up, if only a fourth of a degree. It's funny to now have something new in common with my daughters. The only difference is that they are usually complaining about their teachers and I'm pretty okay with mine. I have a take home midterm in one class, and I'm not sure what I have in the other, but I'll keep up with my reading and going over my notes. Regardless, I'm looking forward to Christmas as I never have before. Well, okay, the first Christmas with my husband, each baby...well you get what I mean.

I am so tired.....

The weekend doesn't begin on Friday for me. It begins Thursday at 6:31 PM. That's my last class for the week and I can breath. Not a whole lot, because the weekend is approaching and I have to catch up with the things I've had to put off the entire week, not to mention keeping up with my reading for my two classes. I'm now at the point where I spend less time being apprehensive about what I'm trying to accomplish, but looking for ways to make sure I stay on top of the work and give it my best.

And while this is important, I'm trying to make sure I keep the family in the loop. Last week, we purchased a game, had dinner in from a restaurant (saves on drinks and tips), and had a Family Game Night. The girls really enjoyed it, I thought. We played Disney Wheel of Fortune which is great for us because we love that place. This weekend, we'll try to make our own Chinese dinner with egg drop soup, fried rice and a yet to be announced entree.

I think we've hit the wall....

It looks like it's going to be one of those weeks. Everyone's tired, overworked and cranky. My husband worked from home today because he was exhausted. My little one has a cough that will certainly have her down by the end of the week. I have a sore throat and have no option but to trudge on. That's the gloomy news.

The good news is that the bad news is not worse. I continue to get more comfortable with school, but I 'm also seeing how crucial planning will be next year. Currently, I only plan to take two classes per semester, but next year I'll have to take three classes in the Fall and Spring semesters. We're only allowed to take two during the summer because we'll only have eight weeks of classes. My schedule will have to be cut to the bone in order to accommodate the work load from this extra class.

But, I'm jumping the gun. Let's see how I do with this first semester. That which does not kill us may drive us to therapy instead.

Has it really been that long?

I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted. That should tell you a little about how the past week has gone for me. The good new is that I'm finding more and more people in my field and talking about class work makes it easier to understand. The bad news is that my work schedule isn't letting up and it's been a little tough to finish my reading for the week, but I think I'll make it.

I'm not seeing much of my husband, but he's just as busy as I am. We're back to making dates to go out and get a bite to eat or go to a movie. But it's a balancing act to be sure. How do you make time to see him and spend quality time with the kids?

Right now, I'm making dinner for them, but I have class at 7 PM. He did a late dinner last night because I had a project to complete. I can't wait for Thursday at 6:30 PM. That means my second class has ended for the evening and I can take a little breather. For the first time I really understand the saying 'TGIF'!