Whew! Catch up...

Our camera is on the fritz. It works, but it's a pain to hook up. It's broken--I can still take pics, but... anyway, we'll do pics soon.

So, we are almost done with this year. And I'm relieved.. it's been a tough year.

• It is my last year of clinicals for my Family Nurse Practitioner degree (I graduate in June--yeah!). Clinicals this quarter are full time...
• John is doing his Clinical Pastoral Experience (25-35 hrs/week on top of his full time job)..
• We just celebrated Easter, John's busiest time (9 services, 4 days, 2 campuses, one weekend=BUSY!!!)...
• and we have two precious boys..

I don't think either of us accurately calculated the time that we would both need to devote each day/week to our own homework prior to signing up for our respective educational experiences.. and we certainly didn't mean to "collide" this year, but that's sort of how it felt. These things aren't done in a vacuum; they're done on top of John's full time job, my part time job, and raising two precious babies... we have just felt squeezed to the max.

But recently, last Sunday, after Easter, we took off and packed up the car and headed east. We ended up in Pittsburgh, and stayed the night there, and had a lovely time! It was so relaxing (if traveling with 2 kids in 1 small hotel room can be relaxing!).. but it was mostly relaxing to get away and be together. We are counting down the days until we can get away again (8 wks).

A few fun things: (and I'm into lists these days..)

• I graduate with my masters degree in June. This is something I never thought I could do---I never thought I could get my masters!!! But, I'm almost done it! Yikes!
• I've been teaching Caleb (3) how to say "Nurse Practitioner" and it usually comes out 'Nurs Pat-ish-oner'. Not bad, huh?
• John's been doing clinicals at my hospital (I suppose it can be "our" hospital now, because he's certainly put his time in there!), which happens to be on the way home from the boys' day care. So, when he's at the hospital all night, and I'm passing by with the boys after a long day of my own clinicals, we'll often stop by and kiss and give goodnight hugs in the parking lot. Caleb is slightly confused at times because I work there, John does clinicals there, and we pass it almost every day... it's hard to explain to an inquisitive 3 yr old who likes to know where people are each day. :)
• We have convinced Caleb that he goes to his own "clinicals" at Mrs. Paula's house. Only he calls them "wininals". So today, I was kissing him goodnight, and I asked him what he did, and he said, "Wininals at Paula's house." He's going to grow up thinking that it's normal to go to daycare and do clinicals. :)
• Tonight, on the way home, after kissing John goodnight in the above mentioned parking lot, I thought, "It's just too stinkin' beautiful to stay inside. Forget making supper.. we're going out." So we went through the McD's drive through and went to a park and had a picnic. It was a BLAST. Caleb kept saying, "Mommy! We are having a picnic!" and Matthew just devoured his burger and apple slices.. precious boys. :)
• At the park tonight, both boys were swinging and laughing, and oh my goodness.. it was music to this mama's soul. :)
• Yesterday, I took the boys to get their hair cut. It was Matthew's first official hair cut, and I couldn't get a picture because I had him on my lap.. precious boy. I had her do a bowl cut, because he was moving around so much...
• But Caleb was so good! He got his hair chopped off, and he looks terrific. :) He got a sucker for being so obedient and listening so well. It really is a pleasure to be their mom.

I think that's it for now. I am going through the typical "I'm scared and completely unprepared!!" feelings.... but I remember I had those same feelings when I graduated from Truman almost seven years ago... John was constant and reassuring then, and he's constant, faithful, and reassuring now. He's a terrific man; I'm so lucky to have him as my husband.

Oh! One more thing! Easter was SO lovely! I was just telling a friend tonight that each week, the service is sort of like a mini-recital for me. I've heard about the practices, heard portions of the tunes (as well as one can do them over a late night dinner and a beer in front of the TV..), and even heard a few of the rehearsals (when I've had to run John something at church). But, come Sunday, I get a little nervous, because I know that John's practiced and practiced... and I hope it all goes well. But THIS PAST SUNDAY!?! They outdid themselves. The music was awesome.. and brought glory to Jesus. :)

It doesn't help that I sleep with the music director. I am a bit biased. :)

Good night.

katharine