Organization

Lately, I've been super slacking on cooking... oops. I'm awesome at breakfast. Eggs, oatmeal, toast: done. Snacks and lunch can be thrown together, but dinner has been a different story. Erik comes home and asks, "What's for dinner?" Umm... hot dogs? Not okay. So today I worked on an actual full day, full week meal plan! The things are easy enough for Erik to prepare if he needs to (like that'll happen!)

Meal plan and grocery list

Appeal News!

My appeal was APPROVED! Woohoo!

This is happening!

I had my high school fax my transcript on Tuesday, but I didn't specify to send it to the financial aid office. I had to call them back this morning and have them resend it. Hopefully DMACC will receive it yet today and get my name in for review so I can get some money and pay for everything! 

I expressed concern about not having my books yet and the financial aid woman on the phone told me that the first day it's just important to log in to Blackboard. She mentioned a couple days. So hopefully by mid next week everything will be squared away. 

Good News and a Rant

The good news: Haley called me back last night and would be more than happy to write me a reference letter for my financial aid appeal! I'm checking my email like a crazy person waiting to hear from her.

The rant: I have no idea how I'm going to do this. I'm getting a taste of what homework will be like having been studying for the TEAS for the last week. It's hard. I try to study during the day, but Stella needs me, Ian needs me, Calvin needs me. Calvin is the least of my worries because I can count on his naps for free time. Stella hasn't napped in years for me and Ian rarely naps longer than a half hour unless he's sleeping attached to my boob. Conclusion: It's hard to study during the day, but I can get a little bit in. 

When Calvin leaves it's almost 6 p.m. and then I have to get supper ready. By the time we're done with dinner it's pushing 7 p.m. Erik will play with the kiddos. Great. He's been a big party pooper going to bed at 8 p.m. lately. Who does that?! I get it. He has to wake up at 5 a.m. to go to work. It's hit or miss whether Ian goes to sleep anytime before 10 p.m. I'd really love 2 solid hours of semi-peace to get work done. I'm going to need it. Solution: I could get dinner done before Calvin leaves so that once he leaves I go straight to work. Maybe studying for less time, more frequently during the day would be better than a 2 hour chunk of time. Hmm... something to think about.

I think I need to structure our day a little bit more and cut out some time designated to studying. It's kind of hard when Stella wants to change activities every 20 minutes ::tears hair out:: :) I also need some quicker meals to make. Maybe I'll become the queen of freezer meals. 

Financial Aid Roadblock

On the 22nd  I received a letter from DMACC reminding me that during my last term of enrollment (Fall 2009) my financial aid eligibility was suspended. 

Great. I wish I'd looked into this a week ago. I knew from before my financial aid was revoked, but I'd forgotten until now. I have to have my appeal received by the financial aid office by January 6th at 4:30 p.m. I thought, "I have plenty of time.' What I didn't realize is that all the offices are closed from December 23rd to January 4th.

In order to be considered for financial aid again I have to appeal my suspension. In order to appeal I have to write an appeal detailing the circumstances for my failure and provide supporting documentation, outline steps I'll take to ensure future success, and complete an Academic Improvement Plan with my advisor.

I have it all except supporting documentation. I chalk my failure up to many things: depression, mixed up priorities, work. I never saw anyone for depression until after Stella was born. I went consistently for more than a year, though, so I'm hoping Haley will write me a recommendation letter to include. I called her this morning, but she's out of the office until tomorrow. I hope she's not too busy to do it. If I don't get it from her, then I'm afraid I'm SOL and will have to hope it goes through without the documentation. It's unlikely though, as the form to fill out says that appeals received without proper documentation will not be considered at all. 

It's time

Nine days ago, I decided it was time. Time for what? Time for me to go back to school. I've waffled back and forth since just after Stella was born. I've drawn graphs and written out my plans over and over again. This time, I actually pulled the trigger.

Last Monday I filed a FAFSA (way easier than I was expecting) and made an appointment with the nursing program advisor at DMACC for that Friday at 1:30 p.m. I immediately called my mom to ask if she'd watch the kids. She happily obliged. Then I waited. I was nervous and hadn't told Erik anything yet. If anything, he was my biggest UNsupporter. With my college record, he was very rightfully scared that I'd completely drop the ball again. I decided that I'd tell him IF I registered for any classes at my appointment.

So, Friday rolled around and I talked to my advisor and it went really well. I only have two classes to take, the TEAS V test to pass, and a nursing information session to attend before I can apply for the nursing program!! I've got it worked out to complete those requirements during the spring semester and apply immediately after that. 

OH MY GOD. This is actually happening. 

I'm registered for two classes online for the duration of the semester: Intro to Psych and Composition I.  Hopefully, I'll get into the section I want for the Advanced CNA course and will do that two nights a week from the end of February through the end of April.

I'm excited. I'm scared. My mind is going nuts. I keep going back and forth thinking, "Yes! I can do this!" and "Holy shit. What am I getting myself into?!"

I'm currently studying my face off about an hour a day by brushing up on math content that I haven't studied since 2006 and taking all TEAS practice math tests I can find on the internet. I ordered the TEAS study guide a few days ago and it should arrive on Friday.