Holly, the RN!!!

Woke up this morning to the best.news.ever: Holly found out that she passed her NCLEX!

The NCLEX is a test that all nurses have to take to be certified as a Registered Nurse. She took the test on Friday. They were supposed to post results in 48 hours, but, being that it was the weekend...she knew it would take longer. On Monday, they announced that they would be doing "maintenance" to the website for several hours during the night, and I thought Holly was going to go over a cliff.

She said, "I gave it all to God, but then I took it back...and then I gave it back to him...and then I took it back."

The struggle is real...with all of us. Right?

I'm just proud of her for recognizing it at an early age.

She said that she had not slept well all weekend, so she woke up at 4:50 this morning, and took her phone to the bathroom so she wouldn't wake Aaron. She said the results were posted and she passed! She was so excited that she couldn't go back to sleep! She said she woke up Aaron to tell him, and he smiled sweetly and said, "that's great news!" and then fell right back asleep.

She is always telling me how sweet he is in the night...if she has to wake him up. She says he will wake up smiling.

Waking up her Dad in the night is taking your life into your own hands. It's like waking up a rabid bear. Jim jerks his arms and legs, and will holler, "what? what? huh?" And I had better duck and swerve, because he is out-of-control.

If we ever have an intruder, and I have to wake him up to tell him...well, we're dead.

Holly had to go in for an orientation class today. I stayed home and did laundry and stuff...trying to get Clark's things ready to head to school. After lunch, Jim took Clark to get a case for his computer...and Joshua and I went to run errands.

Joshua is always the FIRST one to volunteer to help me. If I walk through the room with an arm-full of clean sheets, he will quietly get up and follow me...and help me put sheets on any of the beds.

Today, we went to Wal-Mart to get a few groceries. He also helped me look for things Clark needs for college...and then he helped me load all of it in the car. I typically try to park close to one of the places where you put up the buggies. I call shopping carts, "buggies," but some people don't know what I'm talking about. Anyway, if I park close to the buggy "station," he can push the cart over there, and then walk back to the car. I try to park on the same side as the buggy station, so he doesn't have to walk across the car lane to the other side of the parking lot.

I know. It's a whole thing.

This is my life.

I try to give him some independence, when I feel like it's safe.

So, he headed toward the buggy station, and I stopped him to say, "watch for cars backing out." He nodded his head and said, "okay." I mean, I say it to him every time...he knows the drill.

Unfortunately, and also NEVER AGAIN, I had to park about 4 parking places down from the buggy stall. I ALWAYS stand at the back of my car and watch until he puts the buggy up and walks back to the car.

There was an empty space next to us, and then a car, and then a white truck, and then a smaller car...and then the buggy stall.

It happened so quickly. I saw the smaller car move backwards, and Joshua was behind it. He jumped back and pulled the buggy back, and stood there. I went running to him. The girl backed out and left.

And even tho it may or may not have technically been her fault...I may or may not have glared at her. Well, not glared-glared...I just looked at her.

Because she should've seen him.

She should've looked behind her and both ways and she should've seen him. Even tho he's short, she should've seen him.

Joshua doesn't hear well, and his vision isn't that great. A person like you and me would probably have been able to hear her start the car...or maybe it was already running. I don't know. He certainly didn't hear it, and it was a thousand wonders...AND THE HAND OF GOD...that she didn't hit him.

I was shaking, but I tried not to make a big deal out of it, EVEN THO IT WAS A VERY BIG DEAL. I just knew that if I acted upset or shaken-up, he would never.let.it.go.

We came home and he helped me unload everything. Clark and Faith came over...and then Holly came over, because Aaron had a meeting tonight...and then Jim came home from work. Jim grilled burgers and hot-dogs on the grill, and I made cheese dip and baked beans. And a cookie cake that I lovingly placed blue m&ms to spell RN...on top.

We so classssssssy.

But my family carved into that cookie cake like it was their last meal.

I love my family. Jim and I are super proud of Holly. She has worked SO HARD in nursing school.

Also, Logan had his wisdom teeth removed this morning. Normally, when my kids have any kind of procedure, I am right there...but Logan is married and I didn't want to be that kind of smother. I mean, MOTHER.

It killed me not to be there.

I am so thankful for Morgan. She is the best wife! She bought him icy things to eat and ice-packs for his cheeks. She fixed him mashed potatoes and soup...and she kept up with when he had his medicine...and when he could take the next dose.

Last night, Logan told me, "Don't worry...I'll be just fine." And I said, "I KNOW you didn't just tell me that....you're not new here. I am Mommy...hear me ROAR."

"The LORD has done great things for us and we are filled with joy." Psalm 126:3