Week in review

Some notable moments of the week....

1.  I PASSED NCLEX (my boards). This is a test I had been anticipating since the first day of nursing school. For whatever reason, it sort of terrified me to pursue a degree that required me to pass a crazy test at the end before I could make my degree worth anything. However, in college round 1, I pursued a degree that did not require a test and I still couldn't do much with it. So...I guess it's worth it.
I took the test last Thursday-drove to San Marcos and got there about an hour early (didn't know what traffic would be like-there was none-and didn't want to risk being late). I sat in the car until about 7:30 and then went and checked in. It is quite the process with palm scans, picture taking, turning pockets inside out, etc. I sat at a computer in a cubicle among about 10 others taking the same test. It is an adaptive test so I was prepared to take between 75 and 265 questions (praying and hoping for 75!) The test seemed crazy hard, most of my questions were check all that apply (the worst!) and my heart starting racing and pounding around question 70. I  hit "next" after question 75 and it shut off...YEAH! Although this is usually good news, there is no guarantee. I was mad at California for not doing "quick results" like most other states (including Kentucky), so I had to wait a little longer to find out if I passed, but on Tuesday morning my name appeared with an active RN license on the board's website :) 
Now I have re-entered the job search phase which is not a fun one. The market in San Diego for new grad nurses is terrible right now, so it's not going to be an easy feat. To counterbalance the frustration of the job search, I have been spending some quality time at the beach.

2. We got and lost a pet in the matter of 2 days. At the end of our run on Saturday we went down to get a rock for our bowl, and came across this little guy washed up on shore on a big piece of seaweed. Knowing he was pretty fragile being out of the water for so long, we brought him home and hoped to keep him for awhile, nurse him back to health (hey, if I don't have a job I have to find opportunities to be a nurse) before returning him home, but unfortunately he didn't survive the night. It was fun having you little guy.

3.  Grant got his first paycheck! After almost 2 months of no income (and a lot of expenses) and a LOT of years of school preparing for work life, this was a pretty exciting day in our house. To celebrate we ate at Chipotle (where we had a giftcard) and I bought 2 new bathing suits for $6 (also with a giftcard). Love that we celebrated our first real paycheck with a "free" night :)

4.  Today is the "graduation" for the residents in Grant's program a year ahead of him and we are celebrating this afternoon at the beach on base with everyone. I signed up to bring a dip, but I've had this cookie cutter I've been wanting to use for months now! I wanted to make tooth sugar cookies for Grant's graduation, but with all the moving, not living at our house at the end, etc. it just didn't happen. I was not motivated enough to make and decorate cookies for today so I decided to make another favorite treat! I think they turned out pretty cute :) Molar rice krispie treats!