Back to School

Physical therapy has been a passion of mine for some time now; since I was in the 11th grade actually.

I went to St. Martin's for my Bachelors of Science degree in Biology, and had plans of going to Physical Therapy school to get my Doctorate.  However, my plans changed slightly, as I wasn't accepted to the program after graduation.

I then put my plans on temporary hold, as Josh and I bought our house.  I also wasn't sure I could commit to three years that the program takes- and be off of work that entire time.  It was a scary thought to give up working!

I then started looking into a physical therapist assistant program, which would only be 2 years, and slightly less intense.  Only a few schools in WA have a program, and most of them are traditional, Monday-Friday, in person programs.  I didn't know how to make that work while still keeping my job that I love.

I finally found Whatcom Community College, and their Physical Therapist Assistant Online-Hybrid program.  The course is designed for students with lives outside of school.  So, the majority of the coursework is online, and there are in-person labs every month over a weekend.  This seemed like the perfect fit for me!

So, I applied for the program starting Spring of 2011.  And didn't get in.  However, this was because the community college I did my associate degree through didn't send my transcripts to Whatcom, even though I had paid for them to be sent.  I was heartbroken, and really unsure if I wanted to apply again.  I felt like I was getting to the point where I either needed to be in school, or move on.  I wanted to get on with my life, and was tired of living in limbo.

Just a few months after I found out I wasn't accepted, we found out we were expecting Lane!  Josh made me promise to apply to school one last time, and if I didn't get accepted this time, we would move on and rearrange.

Fast forward to October of 2011, and our little man was less than a month old when I submitted my school application. I was so nervous about how we would make it all work if I was accepted- the time committment, paying for tuition and books, guilt over less time spent with Lane, etc.  But I promised Josh I would apply, so I did.

In January, I was starting to wonder where my letter was informing me of either my acceptance or rejection.  I finally got the nerve to call, and left a message for the Program Director, Margaret.  A few hours later, Margaret called to tell me that letters had indeed been mailed out, and that she was so happy to inform me I was accepted!  I would be starting school in April!

It was such a relief to know that I would finally be able to start my career.  But, it was also scary!

In between January and April, we figured out student loans, ordered books, and Josh bought my a new computer for my birthday.

And so, ever since April 3rd, I've been working on my first quarter of classes at Whatcom CC for my Physical Therapist Assistant program.  I had my first lab last weekend, and it was so neat to practice hands-on material that we're learning in our books.  The program is 9 quarters long, meaning I'll graduate in June 2014.  It can be a real struggle to prioritize my time and keep up with everything, but we're slowly settling into more of a routine.

I love school!

Baccalaureate!

This is the first of three posts I will be doing today; I have way too many pictures and much too much information to fit into just one post!

Friday night was my Baccalaureate and Hooding Ceremony. It took place in the Abbey Church at Saint Martin's, and parents were invited. The Abbey has become such a special place to me; it is a sanctuary, where I spend most of my time praying, and where I most often hear God's voice speaking back to me. I was so glad that Baccalaureate was held there, for those reasons. Mom, Dad, and Josh all attended.

The ceremony entailed prayer, singing, and graduates receiving their hoods. These hoods, worn over graduation gowns, signify which subject your degree was in. My hood is outlined in a bright golden yellow, with red and white on the inside, and a black bottom. The yellow is for biology, the red and white are for SMU, and the black is just the bottom color. Everyone had the black and red and white; the other color was what was different.

Here are some pictures from afterwards:

Me, on the backside of Old Main

Kathleen and I right afterwards. We've been in the Biology program together for the whole 3 years I've been at the Saint.


Josh and I afterwards. I was so excited he was there!


Mom, Dad, and I. Nathan was at a birthday party, and would have been bored out of his mind!

Myself and Father Benedict. I had to have one last picture of us!

The whole ceremony was very special, and it got me really excited for Saturday's graduation.

Next is a post all about graduation!

It's The Final Countdown....

This is it. The end of college. Maybe just for now, maybe forever.

Yesterday was my last day of class at Saint Martin's University. I have two finals next week, and then graduation on May 9th.

It's strange how I've gone from being so excited about being done, to be very sad about it. Saint Martin's is a large part of my life, and the thought of no longer walking those creaking, uneven halls everyday, or sitting at my desk in the T.U.B. working on paperwork for A.S.S.M.U., or checking my email a million times a day, bothers me a little bit. That university is my home away from home.

In fact, my responsibilities there are what made me decide to get a Blackberry. Instead of having to get on the computer several times a day to check my Saint Martin's email, I simply get my email delivered to my phone. I can then read and respond to emails as soon as they come in, which is all hours of the day (and night). This means I am (almost) literally attached to my phone at all times. It never leaves me. We are a team, so to speak. This is also the reason why I am unable to "turn off" my brain when it comes to school. Even last weekend camping, I needed to check my phone for emails that needed my attention. Since everyone knows I have my Blackberry and check it like an addiction, they automatically assume I will respond immediately. This problem is only increased by the fact that I do, in fact, respond immediately. Emails that used to sit in my inbox until I had access to my computer, now follow me around wherever I am. But I like that.

I like feeling important; like I am a vital part of the functionality of the Associated Students of Saint Martin's University, and the Student Health Center.

And I think one reason I am so sad about graduating is, I won't be important to that school anymore. The university will go on just fine without me, as will ASSMU. New Senate members have been elected, I have appointed my replacement, and they have held their first meeting. But I have not yet cleaned out my desk, or taken all my documents off of my office computer, or handed over my precious binders that I have so meticulously kept organized for the last two years. More importantly, I am not ready to hand over my responsibilities. I feel as though they are mine, not anybody else's.

This is something I need to work on. And soon. Because come next Saturday, I am completing my journey at Saint Martin's University.

Senior Seminar Research Project: Part One

I spent all of Fall semester working on my Senior Research Project, and the time has come for me to begin actually carrying out my project. Here's a rundown of what has happened so far:

• Picked my topic
• Began researching that topic
• Developed a Research Proposal that had to be submitted and re-submitted THREE times
• Gave a formal presentation on what my project is
• Ordered my materials

Now its time for the fun part! I will be spending lots of time in the lab, perfecting my methods and finally beginning to collect my data.

My project is: The Removal of Escherichia coli from Hard Plastic: The Effectiveness of Several Sanitation Techniques.

The idea for this project came from my work in a PT clinic, and the fact that both my boss and I are germ freaks and are always cleaning equipment that comes into contact with patient skin. And I wanted to know how effective the techniques we use really are. So I'm testing a commercial sanitation spray like we use in our clinic, plain ol' distilled water, UV light exposure, microwave oven exposure, and no treatment.

I'll be sure to post more on how this project progresses!

Back At School, Back At School

Last Monday marked the start of my final semester at Saint Martin's University. My last classes. My last labs. My last everything there. It feels almost like senior year of high school all over again. And I'm not quite sure how I feel yet about being done.

I'm taking Organic Chemistry 2, which both bores and confuses me to death. Also, Pre-Calculus, which is a flashback to junior year of high school. Then there's Interpersonal Communication (a requirement for PT schools), and Senior Seminar, where I carry out my Senior Research Project (more on that in another post). I am also taking a Catholicism class, even though I don't need the extra credits. It's taught by our University Chaplain, Father Benedict Auer, O.S.B. He is who says our Student Liturgy Mass every Sunday evening, and I absolutely love listening to him. He is such an intelligent, experienced, and most importantly, open individual. I can talk with him about a wide range of topics, and feel at complete ease. He also teaches the RCIA class I am taking. I figured this class would tie in well with my RCIA class, and I wanted to develop a further knowledge of Catholicism and the Church.

For the past million years (okay, maybe not literally a million years, but it DOES feel like it) I have been waiting for this time to come. The time of graduating with my degree, and possibly being done with school forever. But now, its snuck up on me (yes, school is a very sneaky thing), and I realize how close I really am to being done. April 3oth will be my last day of class, and then I have finals, and then come May 9th, I'll make that traditional walk down the main staircase, across the Pavilion parking lot, and into Marcus Pavilion. Just like it has been done for many, many years.

And then what happens? I have applied to physical therapy school, but am still not sure I'm ready to enter another three years of college. I'm burned out on school, homework, tests, teachers, and studying. I feel like I want the opportunity to focus on other things in my life more, without the burden of school.

But I also worry about not going back. Will I miss it? More than likely. Regret the decision? Quite possibly. Will I enjoy life free from school stress? Absolutely.

So what is the right decision then? I guess that is still yet to be determined....

A New Start

This year has brought so many changes into my life, both for the good and the not-so-good. Here's my attempt at describing the last new months in a nutshell....

First off, I'm still chugging away at school. I'm taking a summer class right now, trying to eliminate some of the work for next year. It's an Organic Chemistry class, and very intense. But I'll be done the 26th of June, and then I'll spend the rest of my summer just working, and getting ready to start my final year at Saint Martin's University!!

Speaking of work - its the same as usual. I'm nearing four years there, and I wouldn't trade a single day of it. I have learned so much that sometimes I amaze myself with the facts and techniques I have learned. I have the sweetest patients, and I look forward to working with them every single day, knowing I get to make a difference in their quality of life.

I've been practically living at my best friend Rachel's house, hanging out with her and her husband and their son Cody. He's 14 months, and one of the most important people in my life. I would do anything necessary for that little guy. If I go one or two days without seeing him, I miss that cute little round face of his. Since I've been with them so much, I've been "hanging out" with Jeff's friend Ian from work. Ian actually grew up in Packwood, and knows much of dad's side of the family. We all have a lot of fun together, and this summer is looking to be one of the best ever.

Jeff and Rachel convinced me to play on their summer bowling league, which takes place Friday nights. I'm on a team with Rachel's stepbrother Jason and some of his friends. I don't think I've ever enjoyed bowling so much!! We have a ton of fun, and since these boys are so good at bowling, it forces me to be better. I even have my own ball and shoes!! My highest game this season has been a 175, and I've also gotten a 157. But my average is around 123. If all goes well, I may even bowl in their fall league!

As if all this wasn't enough, I recently decided to join the network marketing community, and am gearing up to start selling Arbonne International produces. This truly amazing company offers some of the best skin care and health products around. They have been around for 28 years, and their motto is pure, safe, beneficial. I didn't believe in the product until I started using all of Rachel's products, and now I can't imagine using anything else. Rachel switched all of her baby products to Arbonne from Johnson & Johnson. Cody has always had bad eczema on his legs, and nothing seemed to make it better. After using Arbonne lotion on Cody's legs, his eczema has gone away and he has baby-soft skin again! The best part about Arbonne is you actually get to use the product before buying it. I come talk with you, tell you about our company and products, and then leave you with some products you're interested in. You give them back in a week or so, and by then, you're guaranteed to love them.

So, that's my life right now. I'm sure I'm leaving out many, many details, and I'll add them in as I think of them. Right now though, life is good!