I think I've confused a lot of people lately and not on purpose, so I apologize and I'll explain myself here. I've had lots come to me and ask, "What are you in school for again?" Then they kind of go blank when I say, "Sonography." So here's a Q&A of sorts.
Sonography is ultrasound and you can ultrasound
anything in the body, however I'd like to be registered in OB, (babies). You can ultrasound your liver, kidneys, gallbladder, veins/arteries, basically
anything.
But I thought you wanted to teach?
I love teaching! I love being bossy in any way I can! Just kidding about that part, *kinda*, but when I was pregnant with Cory, and I would see the ultrasounds of him, I thought,
cool! That was it though. I had dropped out of school to have Cory, and had no plans for going back. Along the years I thought of how neat it would be to have some sort of ultrasound degree, but it just stayed a thought and I didn't have the confidence to try. Fast forward to being at home with Easton, and when I went in for his ultrasounds suddenly the tech's were my age or younger and I thought
, if these kids can do this, I can too. Heath and I talked about it for months before I ever put anything into action still. Basically the main idea that kept me going was I
had to try. I didn't want to look back and regret not trying. I had big insecurities with having Cory so young, and it just made me feel stupid, like I had missed the boat on college. I didn't want to go back so I could join a sorority, or bring in a big paycheck, I wanted that accomplishment for
myself. To know I can be smart, and can achieve something "hard".
How did you afford it?
A lot of things had to fall into place in order for me to enroll in classes again. I had a year of prerequisite courses that I had to complete before I could even apply to the sonography program, and we needed concrete answers. Where would Easton go while I was in class? How would we afford it? The webite
fafsa.ed.gov told me everything I qualified for. Hope would carry my tuition based on my grades, and the Pell grant was also issued to me because we qualified with our income. I considered it a blessing, because we needed every penny. The Pell grant gave us a small check every semester and we divided that into books, and a semester's worth of paying for childcare. It came out flat even one semester, and $60 shy the next semester. It was a HUGE blessing to us, and not something we took for granted. We also knew we would not want Easton in a daycare, considering I only needed to be in class a few hours a day, and we really wanted him with family. My cousin's wife, Pam, who is WONDERFUL, and a stay at home Mom to Easton's cousin, agreed to keep him while I went to class. She graciously kept him every early, cold, rainy, and dark morning for me. Pam, I cannot express how grateful I am for you. Without your help, the process would have stopped here. We are so thankful to have you in our lives!
What did you have to do to apply?
I needed to take mainly science classes (the one's I avoided!) and some higher math classes, and medical terminology. I completed some volunteer hours at school, and outside school at ARMC. I also took the HOBET, which sounds like a cool book, but sadly it's just another standardized state test. I had to have some immunizations, a drug test, and background check.
I need to add a little disclaimer here. A&P was the
hardest thing I think I've ever done. Hands down. It went a little like this: "Week 1 you'll learn all the bones in the axial skeleton. Week 2 you'll learn all the bones in the appendicular skeleton. Week 3 you'll learn all the tissues in the body. Week 4 you'll learn all the blood vessels. Week 5 you'll learn all the muscles." It was
intense. And I did it! Medical terminology averaged 3 chapters a week- of Latin words!!! You know what my favorite thing to do is now? Read medical terminology and know what it means. Seriously it's a new thing of mine. Please ask me next time you see me.
We were told to make A's. We were told anything less was not competitive. I don't know why, but He saw fit to grant me those A's. I'm so happy/tickled/excited to share that I applied to the program with a 4.0 GPA.
You did all that, and don't even know if you'll get in?
Yep.
1 Corinthians 15:58
"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
But what if you don't get in?
Like I said before, I had to try. I feel so much more confident now, having all those hard classes behind me, and so much more focused on the end result. I ignore the nay-sayers (and they are out there!) and I don't focus on what bad things could happen. Why bother?
Proverbs 3: 5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight."
But that's a competitive program, isn't it?
Yep. They accept 10 students every 2 years. That's it.
Do you think you'll get in?
Hope so!
1 Peter 5:7 "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."
What will you do if you don't?
I'll worry about it then.
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
I'm not trying to be silly in my answers, or sound flippant, but do you know this is the first "hard thing" I've tried as a newer Christian? This is the first goal I've gone after where I know 100% that this is not in my hands, and do you know how much more
freeing it is to not worry about it? Do you know how cool it is to know that God has this for me, and if He wants me in this program, He'll put me there, and if He doesn't, then I
can't wait to see how He's going to use this past year of my life. I can't even try to describe the sense of peace I have about this.
So, all the prerequisites have been completed and I just dropped my application off last Friday.
Putting it on paper, April 2012:
Getting it done, August 2013:
It's been a long, emotional journey and I'm about to make it even more sappy when I say I could not have done it without my Hannie. Yep- you girl! My Hannah who from the very beginning encouraged me. She helped keep my kids so I could visit financial aid, or go speak with advisors. She built me up every time I wanted to quit and said it was too hard. When I'd say I just couldn't, she'd say, You're gonna! She would never let me stop, and assigned the mantra, "Go Big or Go Home!" to me. Hannah you pushed me through it and I am so ever grateful. Thank you for having the confidence in me to make me keep going, thank you for reminding me of that light at the end of the tunnel, and thank you for helping me with my case of "the guilt's". Thanks for being awesome you!!!! Love you girl.
Hannah riding classy in the backseat on the "BIG day" to drop off my application:
Awww, sweet hubby did you think you wouldn't get an honorable mention? You know I won't forget my boo. Girls- am I so glad he's mine!!!! This man gets #1 Dad and husband for the past year helping me with whatever I needed. He gave up many nights and weekends so I could study, he grocery shopped, took care of sick kids, went through hundred's of flash cards with me, sat down many times and explained things I couldn't grasp right away. He helped line up my math tutors, physics tutors, and took over cleaning the house during finals. This man is wonderful and I am blessed.
Song of Solomon 6:3 "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."
Ahhh....so what now? I wait and see. The deadline is Sep. 1st, and then I have absolutely no idea how long it'll take them to get back to me. They go through the applications, and pick a certain number of people to interview. Then after the interviewing process, they narrow it down to 10 students. I hope to know something either way by October. I hope to be 1 of the 10!
