Putting my new SKILLZ to the test!

This D-mama is about to embark on a new adventure. Or, a new twist on an old adventure...this mama is hitting the books and heading back to school.

I already have my BA in English...and that provided me with a decent career post-graduation. I worked as a copywriter, made a pittance for a salary, but felt creative in what I did for a living. In college, I had aspirations of being a nurse or a teacher, but I immediately dismissed those thoughts as I thought I was a.) too squeamish and b.) too afraid of public speaking to be a teacher (nevermind the fact that these would be CHILDREN I was teaching!)

The nurse thing kept nagging in the back of my head. Before kids, I volunteered at our local hospital, just loving the feeling of working in a medical setting. I hated my job at that point and dreamed of another career, preferably one where I was providing a needed service. But then the kiddos came along and I was happily ensconced in my new "career" of stay-at-home-mom.

The last few years I've been wondering what I'd do when the kids were in school full-time. Two years ago, Sydney was very ill and in the hospital for a week with a rare complication of a staph infection called Scalded Skin Syndrome. She was in the PICU and I was so interested in how the nurses took such great care of her and were true advocates for their patient. It really spurred my interest, so I attended an information session about the nursing program at our local community college with a friend of mine. I got all fired up to take some pre-requisite classes, and then I promptly....chickened out.

Fast-forward to last August. I had all of my transcripts in place and was ready to meet with a nursing adviser at the college. I found out that since I already had my degree, I only needed to take 2 pre-requisites before I could apply to nursing school. Score! I was ready to sign up for a class....then the next day Adam was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I pretty much gave up at that point.

Over the last 11 months, I have had to do things that I never would imagine I could do. Inject my son with various sharp needles, calculate and dose insulin...essentially, we are diabetic nurses on the fly! As devastating as his diagnosis was, it has been a confidence booster for me.

I can do this.

So this year...this D-mama didn't chicken out. I pushed through silly roadblocks and made the move. I am signed up for my first class this fall in 14 years. Yes, ladies, it has been 14 years since I graduated from college. I am old. I am taking a Biology class in a real classroom with kids almost half my age.

Let's hope I can remember how to do this thing called school!