Full-time Mom, Part-time Student

I started classes at GVSU again yesterday. I didn't even realize how much I missed it until I was walking across campus. Part of me wished I had never left and the other part of me wished I was home with my babies. I think that will be a continual struggle for me throughout the semester but I am so excited to be back in the classroom.

My college experience has been quite all over the place so far. I started back in the fall of 2006, fresh out of high school, living on campus, excited to be a nursing major. The next year (2007) I came back as a sophomore, married, and (for various reasons) switched to a criminal justice major. After my sophomore year I quit, mostly because I just wasn't sure what I wanted to do anymore. Then I got a full-time job and shortly after that I was pregnant with our first daughter.

After she was born (in 2009) I got the bright idea to go back to school, online, for my degree in medical assisting. However the school I choose was horrible (i.e. inadequate), the experience was horrible, and it was not even close to worth the money we paid for it. I quit after 2 really rough semesters and registered to go back to GVSU full-time in the fall of 2010. Then we found out I was pregnant again. The baby was due around the end of the fall semester so I, sadly, withdrew from my classes in the summer.

Now here we are, present day. Little Erin was born mid-November (so it was good that I withdrew) and since I had already been approved for financial aid when I first registered for the year I was able to sign up for classes this winter semester. I was really nervous about leaving the kids but it seems to have worked out well so far. I'm only taking 2 classes, Monday and Wednesday, from 6pm-9pm. Eric is able to be home with them the whole time which eases my nerves and after last night I am SO happy I decided to go back. I am once again a nursing major and although my college journey has been a little haphazard I am very sure of this path I'm now on. I am so excited to see what's in store for me!

Hopes for 2011

(These are in no particular order)

1) Become a better servant and helpmate to my husband

2) Become a more loving and patient mother to my children

3) Become a diligent, focused, and successful student

4) Learn how to become more Christ-like in all aspects of life

5) Become a better cook (and cook healthier foods!)

6) Become a better friend

7) Get this house clean and organized (and keep it that way!!!)

8) Judge less

9) Overcome self-doubt and get rid of self-pity

10) Lose weight, get in shape, eat healthier

11) Remain close to family and friends in spite of busy schedules

Lord willing I will be able to accomplish even a small fraction of these.

What's in a Name?

Originally when we picked the names for our children it was a simple formula. Each of their first names are names that we liked best and each of their middle names are for our mothers. The other day I decided that it might be important to know what their names mean (although if they were something horrible I don't know what I would've done). I looked them up in the baby name book and thought my findings were pretty neat.

Addison - (English origin) a child of Adam
Michele - (Italian spelling, French origin) who is like God?

Erin - (Irish origin) peace
Renee - (French origin) born again

How incredible that their names so strongly reflect our faith? However, I suppose that from now on we better make sure the names of our other children are just as meaningful :)