Nursing School List '13 Revised

I have done more research. Added, taken away, considered new places and am currently going with this list (not in order of course):

My Top Choices - based on location, price, program 
(almost all of these apps HAVE to be completed by November 15, 2012)

1) SUNY Stony Brook - Long Island - has campus apartments, could still keep my car, child care center near campus, still in NY (not 5 boroughs tho), state school, 12 month program
*I am also applying to their 2 year traditional program just in case. BSN only

2) Pace University CDP program -bsn + msn to be FNP/ also has a 2 yr option and can still apply for MSN

3) Columbia ETP program - have to also take GRE for this. what seems to be an amazing program that would allow me to get my BSN, work for 1 year and then return to get my MSN and become an Family Nurse Practitioner which is my goal. From there I would delve more into what I would like to become my Fitness Nurse specialty. I think this would be the best professionally, but not the best logistically and financially which of course are MAJOR considerations

4) Lehman (now y'all know I'm a little anti-Bronx, but they do have an accelerated program that again would be at those great CUNY rates)
The info online about their program is vague, so I will have to do some more research and request info.

5) NYU- prices are ridiculous but it's worth a try. I need options

6) Still applying to EKU anyways for their accelerated program (not so accelerated at 21 months!) - not as enthused about this b/c I would certainly have to go elsewhere for my FNP

7) UK-again not accelerated, but what the hell


8) UMass Boston - I would still be in the Northeast, prices are pretty comparable to the other out of state programs I'm considering


9) U of Cincinnati - I'm not a Cincy girl AT ALL, but would qualify for their metro tuition (same as OH in state and they have an accelerated pathway program for BSN/MSN)


10) Drexel University in Philly - has a seemingly good program that would also allow me to get BSN/MSN. 


IF anyone has 1st hand information or knows anyone else who went to these schools, don't hesitate to comment/contact me about it! :) 

Amor y Vida

Two things that go together...two things I believe in. Two things that keep me going...These are pictures of a date me and Liam went on last weekend. :) I love spending this QT with my son. It gives me life. 

 giving face!

 

reaching for the camera

 he was playing coy lol.Boy please!

 we were meant to be

 

stealing kisses

 

his model pose lol

                                                First time on a train "ride" lol. Worth the 50 cents :).

 well this is us a couple of days ago on Friday night. I love him too much.:)

Throwback: Maternity Pictures 2009

It's hard to believe this time 3 years ago I was patiently awaiting my bundle of joy! Now, I'm starting to plan Liam's 3rd birthday party. It's truly amazing how something so devastating at the time ended up being the best thing to ever happen to me. I am truly blessed.

Style Post : Asos Curve

"I think I'm in looooooooveeeee again" - Prototype - Andre 3000

Asos Curve is giving me life. A very basic ensemble I threw together. The tank dress is a midi-length with bodycon fit. The belt has a stretchy panel with really cool detailing at the clasp. Will do an updated post with accessories if I ever make it out of the house in this 'fit! Ugggh I'm in love. I'm a size 20 lookin like a big 18 lmao! Yessss!

Dress: ASOS Curve size 20 US/ 24 UK - $25

Belt: Asos Curve size 18/20 - $25 

Shoes: Samata shoes (bought them back in 2009?)

Losing Weight, Gaining Life

Check my article on Plusmodel411.com

How I'm Going From Flab to Fab...

Poetry Pause: Loves!ck

Loves!ck

Yes! Sick. Of. Love. I stare out my bathroom window trying to spot him in the aftermath of the storm. I wipe specks of mud from my limbs, hair, face and glance at the reflection above the sink. Me and Cupid mud wrestle every so often. I win 98% of the time. He tries to claim victory with that Cherubic Charm; it almost works. I entice him with an ice cream sandwich, he retreats and goes home to his celestial coordinates.

Original work and intellectual property of Cicely N. Carter

Reevaluation

The past 2 months or so, I have really been feeling the negative sides of living back at home with my parents as a grown ass woman and mother of a child. I am so frustrated!! They seem to be on my back about something every day or every other day. My nerves are wearing thin and it is getting to be unbearable. There were times in the past couple of months where I dreaded going home. Not because of Liam, but because I'd have to deal with my parents. Sometimes they are just so damn negative and it really puts me in a bad head space. They nag, nag and once they are done nagging, keep doing it. 

I look at my life a year ago and I can't honestly say that things have improved THAT much. Yes, I am 45 lbs lighter. Yes, I am marginally less stressed financially, but I can't deal with living in a house with 2 other adults who don't treat me like an adult. Even though it was hard as hell a lot of the time, I miss the days being able to go back to MY apartment, take of my shoes and plop my ass down and let the dishes wait or clean in the morning before Liam woke up. I sometimes feel like I cant even breathe. Make or break, in the Spring time when these decisions for Nursing school start rolling in, I gotta get the hell out of my parents' house.

I have to constantly remind myself that I did this almost entirely for Liam. I was on the verge of a meltdown/breakdown in my life and this was the only out I saw. God and everyone else knows I did NOT want to move back home. I viewed it and still view it as the most epic fail of my 24 years of life. I knew when I fled Kentucky for college in NYC in 2006, that it was good bye forever. I knew this was the end, that I was finally going to a place where I could do and be who I wanted.

Alas, I did...and now I'm back here. It could always be worse...but yeah it's pretty bad. I just feel that at this point in my life, I should be much further than where I am now and it kills my soul that I am not. I always talk about wanting a man of substance who has his shit together, but wtf am I really saying when I still live at home with my parents?! It would be a total deal break for me to date someone who was living at home. Even under dire circumstances. I feel adults should all have their own private space, hell even a rooommate would be better.

I'm sorry for the rant as I know I'm generally a little more positive than this, but I'm almost at my end with this. 1 year of my life has gone by spent in Kentucky and in total my/our life/ves haven't improved by much. I try to count my blessings and am thankful for what I have, but I want and need more. I'm doing everything I can to get it, but every time I reach, I see it slipping from my hands.

The Week's Wrap-Up

I'm DONE!!! I turned in my last assignment yesterday morning and now all I do is wait for the final grades to be posted. Words cannot express how glad I am that this semester is over. It was emotionally, mentally and physically draining. For Fall I will be taking Microbio, Physiology and Nutrition online. I'm gonna need Jesus in all stages of his short-lived life to get me through all that lol.

Liam is doing great. Potty training is going better. Slowly, but surely he is getting there. I won't be starting him in preschool until September b/c of a likely visitation and all the court ish.

I have NO idea about court, none no clue what is going to go on there. Smh. I will have to wait and see and take it as it comes.

I had a very good date with TC Friday. Don't get it twisted there was no movie theater tonsil hockey, I don't get down like that lol. Just some good ol' fashioned hand holding (he reached for mine first). We went to see Ted. It was funny, but a little longish. Pretty raunchy humor, but I laughed during most of it. I'm treading very softly on this one. I know that I can sometimes be pessimistic, but if I don't watch out for me who will? The FIRST sign of some ratchetness, I'm bringing it to his attention. I don't know what's the protocol these days...how many dates before u start asking the serious stuff? lol He told me from the beg. that he was done with games and is looking to have a relationship, but how many people say that and are NOT about that life? In my experiences, far too many. But we'll see right? This whole dating thing is sometimes more trouble than its worth! lol

<3

1st Ever Kentucky Date Night

I'm the worst you guys THE worst! I keep saying oh no, dating is not for me, I give up and then BAM! Outta nowhere a situation arises and I take a chance. Well I took a chance again yesterday and it may or may not be a good thing :).

    

But first things first. The semester is almost over.I have 1 final paper to submit tomorrow and 1 journal assignment due. Then I'm frreeeeeeeeeeeeee, freee fallling! lol Outta class that is. Fall starts back August 20. So far 1 grade is in and I passed Anatomy with a C :/. Not the grade I wanted, but those lab exams kicked my ass. Now I know what I need to work on and will certainly be busting my ass and going hard in the paint Fall/Spring and beyond!

So back to this dating thing. I hate, hate, hate first dates. They are always so nerve wrecking and I generally always end up stressing over NOTHING, but I do it anyways. We shall call this character TC. He is another try from an online site and surprisingly only lives about 15 minutes away from me (we live in the same county). We decided to meet after work. We had been texting and talking for about 2-3days straight. Like straight, straight lol. He was cracking me up which is great because once you hold my attention, you are partially on your way.

There is a Mexican spot not far from my job that has Happy Hour and pretty good margaritas, if I didn't have to drive, I admit I might have gotten slizzered (only if I knew him waaaay better tho lol). He told me what car he'd be driving and that he'd wait for me to get there and we could go in together. As I was getting closer to the restaurant I was like oh HELL naw, I texted him saying he should go on in and get a table. I had to do a little talk with myself to get my life/self together before I went in lol and I was ready.

I go in and find him at the table and TC gives me this big nervous smile and I laughed (nerves) and thus a really good date began. It took about 10-15 minutes for us to really break the ice and get into a normal flow of conversation, but once we did it was so much fun! He made me laugh the entire time (I was almost in tears at one point), he has the same sarcastic, ridiculous sense of humor that I do and he honestly seems to have his shit together which is a +++ in my book. TC is a little on the slim side, I don't know what it is with me and these slender dudes lol. But he's got a little meat on him, he told me himself he is trying to bulk up.Which is good. Cuz we cant be looking like: 1 8 lmmfao - but that would be slightly inaccurate because he is taller than me.

We talked about our families, a little about Liam, about his dog and I thought it was really cool how well we vibed. It went so well we decided to see each other again today! lol. Most of his free time is during the week and so today would be the last time we could see each other before Monday or Tuesday and of course he didn't want to wait that long lol.

I must say that I am really glad I went. This may sound dumb, but on semi-blind dates (where you have only seen pictures and heard voice/texted),I get uber nervous because I know you can tell I'm a "big girl" in my pictures, but I think and have been told (by friends) that I look much smaller in pictures than in person. So that always worries me lol. Don't want a dude to be like Damn didn't know I was meeting Ursula #fatgirlproblems. But that's my own issue I have to deal with in regards to body image. Just wanted to update you guys and gals out there. Will be posting again soon :)

<3

Discover the Dinosaurs