Mission Accomplished!

I'm wrapping up my first semester and I feel such a great sense of accomplishment. I've taken it day by day and one project at a time. I can't believe that I have balanced my life and work with school. It is possible.

I had to shift some priorities around such as cleaning but I'm so grateful for my dear husband who has picked up the slack and the vacuum and has done the dishes, laundry, and sweeping! God has blessed me with a good man!

Working part-time and studying full-time has been helpful for me too, but it has been a nice break of reality to work and get my head out of the books and away from the computer screen.

So, I have one more test and have to respond to my classmates' theory papers and my first semester will be complete. I'm a little lost to know where my grade status is.....I'm not being a perfectionist and expecting A's, as I once did. I'm settling for average. I guess I've done my part and I need to wait for my instructors to give out my final grades. I feel 90% confident that I passed, we'll see.......

Now, here's a journal of photos of how I survived the semester and the survival tools I relied on...

First and foremost..prayer. Lots and lots of prayer. Prayer for balance, patience, peace of mind, and to relax. I've squeezed, rubbed, kissed and stared at this rock....while praying, especially the big projects.

My cute, corky, and funny kids have helped me understand the reality in my life. They have provided much comic relief. Their free spirit-running-around-the-house-naked-singing Christmas songs at the top of their lungs (okay this is mostly Olivia) have entertained me during the stressful times.

Legos, Legos, everywhere! That is alright with me, they have entertained the kids forever and ever, stirred their creative minds, stimulated their imaginations, and enabled them to work together....we love Legos!

These two have been some great friends of mine for my tension headaches, back pain, neck stiffness; here's hoping I won't have too much liver and kidney damage!

Now, this one I have a love-hate relationship with; I love the caffeine rush it gives me, the bubbly goodness and I hate the sugar content and empty calories! UGH!

The best purchase of our lives....well that's because my school life depends on this netbook. I've participated in my class discussions, written my papers, and electronically "handed" in my papers using this blessed device. Now some day I'll maybe write about how I hate technology but this is one of the examples that technology is good to me.

These books helped me through my last paper; along with 17 journal articles retrieved from the ever-so popular ebsco-host. I have my list ready for next semester and need to start shopping around for the cheapest textbook. (Another plus from technology!) I only had one option to buying books when I was an actual college student (not a non-traditional student), now the Internet provides many options for comparison, LOVE IT!

So, my first semester mission is accomplished...only three more missions to go! (and a summer class, and any other classes I may not pass.)

Thank yous to all of your support; much needed lunch breaks and catch-ups (K. we need more!), telephone calls (Mom and MIL), facebook shout outs, and for the laundry/dish fairy that seemed to fly in when it backed up on Paul (you know who you are!).

Now, I'm going to take one big fat nap and be one with Christmas break! Care to join me?