In Time of Test, Family is Best!!

"In time of test, family is best..." --Burmese Proverb

If being in nursing school from 2019-2021 didn't teach me this, nothing else will!! There is absolutely nothing like going through the nursing program. It is a time of immense growth--the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Nursing school tests you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Through it all, the biggest source of encouragement that God blessed me with during nursing school was my precious family. They loved me unconditionally, through all my successes and failures, through all my laughter and tears, through all my validation practice sessions and through all the challenges of online school and precepting through a pandemic. I can't thank them enough for putting up with me and helping me through! Here's a little taste of what the past two years have looked like for me:

It's 2019. You are brimful of anxiety, anticipation, nervousness and excitement! It's your first day of nursing school. You've spent the last two years studying at Covenant College and are living at home now while you commute to UAH. It feels so good to be home again with your family, and you are so glad they are with you for the last two years of your college life. You don scrubs for the first time and walk confidently onto the campus you will call home for the next five semesters.

"Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life.”

Validations. Just hearing the word brings back the anxiety you felt! Your siblings will allow you to perform blood pressure and heart rate checks and cranial nerve exams to your heart's content. They are definitely the reason you will pass all of your check-offs!! And when you are feeling especially nervous, just send a text to your pre-med brother. He knows the material better than you do, so he's got you covered :)

Study sessions are so much better when you have siblings to cheer you on. Nothing is better to put things in perspective than hugs from the twins or little O!

“The family is link to our past, bridge to our future.”

Who knew carpooling could be such a wild ride? You may think it would be challenging to go through five cars in two years, but somehow you'll manage to make it happen. Ethan will be the best sport in the world when it comes to helping us fix your car problems. Whether it is replacing clutches in the garage, studying with you in overheated cars on the side of the road, or spending countless hours reassembling car parts, somehow he will always help you find a way to get to clinicals on time.

One word: COVID. It will rock your world, cause you to be kicked out of the hospital, transition to online school in the middle of a semester, and scramble to find any source of wi-fi! Your siblings will be the best study buddies in the world, and they won't leave your side, even if they do fall asleep during your late night study sessions. They will never fail to make you smile, even when you get flagged for having them burst in on you while you are taking a pharmacology exam. Hey, it keeps life exciting, right?!

Ready for a study break?! Try grocery shopping during a pandemic!! Good luck using Walmart self-check out and trying to find toilet paper or clorox wipes anywhere. Shopping for a family of eleven is always an adventure. Good thing you always have lots of help!

"It didn’t matter how big our house was; it mattered that there was love in it."

Need a little more excitement? Don't worry, 2021 will start off with a bang: a kitchen flood and remodel! You will gain an enormous amount of perspective and immeasurable respect for your mom as she somehow feeds a family of eleven for sixteen weeks with no running water, oven, dishwasher, floors, or countertops. She will still manage to make incredible gourmet meals for you to come home to after long days at the hospital and somehow keep her home bakery running in the midst of all the craziness.

I promise: Clinicals will happen!! As nervous as you will be, you will get your hours in. And when you get home, the twins will be waiting for you, quite literally hanging out your bedroom window!

Family walks will become a favorite quarantine past-time. Everyone will love clearing their heads with some fresh air and gorgeous views. Cherish the time with them: textbooks can wait!

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."

Believe it or not, the time for your graduation application will come! And don't worry, a younger sibling will be happy to embellish it a little bit for you...

(And no, unfortunately there is no way to "unsend" emails :/ )

What would life be without pranks from your siblings? One thing you never thought you would look up to see on your computer while printing out clinical paperwork? A fluffy baby chick. I kid you not! You have never jumped up so fast before...

Ready to submit your precepting paperwork? I would highly recommend you keep it away from the two year old, or the AL Board of Nursing may have some hot chocolate stains on file for you. Just saying :)

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family."

Many people will come in and out of your life during your nursing school journey, but you know who will ALWAYS be by your side? Through highs and lows, ups and downs, successes and failures, your best and worst moments, your family will never stop cheering you on.

"Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter."

You can never have too many graduation pictures; it is an absolutely unforgettable day. One of your favorite memories from graduation will be taking pictures with your parents. You'll stand next to them to take a picture and hand them your diploma. "Shouldn't you be holding your diploma?" Mom will ask. You'll shake your head with a smile. What could be more fitting than your parents holding the diploma that they made possible for you?!

Thank you Dad, Mom, Ethan, Aidan, Connor, Shaila, Brandan, Baxter, Cade, and Owen for making nursing school such a crazy, joyful, rich, memorable experience. You all are the best, couldn't have done it without you!!