1/2 way done!!!!!!!!

Last Wednesday, I finshed my last final for the quarter and also went tothe pinning ceremony for the 2nd year students. It was almost overwhelmingwhen I found out that I passed everything and was officially 1/2 way done with nursing school! I have never been so nervous and anxious in all mylife and the 6 or so days prior were the most stressfull ever!

When I was feeling really anxious about finals a friend and fellow 30-something student shared with me some wise words someone gave to her when she was anxious about school a while back: "if it is God's will, you will pass, He will make a way for you to pass.It might be by a hair, but you will still pass...if it's His will (or Iwouldn't pass, but that was according to His plan, do i trust Him? was the real question.) She also shared this verse with me; Job 42:2 Then Job replied to the Lord: "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yourscan be thwarted..."It was exactly what I needed to hear! I said that verse over and over and over for the following 5 days and even though I still felt the stress ofstudying and looming exams, I could rest in it and just keep pluggingalong. I had also just gotten a CD the week before and a song that stood out to me that same day had these words: "You are able, mighty is our God.Anything that comes our way, come what may, You alone forever stay. You are able." I played that song over and over and over as well....fully believing those words!

Everytime I left a test, I knew that I had done my best and truly felt like I had been given greater understanding than I had while Iwas studying....it was totally amazing! So, when I got the news that I had passed, I was beyond relieved, super excited and overflowing with emotion! It meant that I was really on my wayto Ecuador, to Africa and through the toughest year of nursing school! Iwas officially a 2nd year nursing student! Woo hoo! I also realized justhow hard this past year has been! Phew!

Going to the pinning ceremony (Nursing graduation) was a great way to end the quarter! We spent quite a bit of time with the 2nd year students asthey spent time in the lab, coaching us through some of the skills tests. Iwas so proud and excited for them and they were equally excited forus.....which meant a lot since they know exactly what we went through! I loved the joy on all their faces! 3 more quarters to go and it will be our turn!! I cannot wait!!