PCE and the Count Down Begins

My pre-clinical experience will soon be starting and I will finally get to be in a classroom. I have to admit I am nervous, excited, scared and happy all at the same time! I was fortunate enough to be able to do my PCE in the school I had hoped. My two youngest children attended school there and many of the same teachers are still there. In fact one of the teachers I will be working with is a teacher who encouraged me 7 years ago to go to school for teaching. Back then I never thought it would be possible. What a difference a few years make :). 

Now that I am starting PCE the countdown to fall demonstrative teaching begins. The countdown of tasks (assignments) starts too! At this time I officially have 41 to complete before summer's end. I'm hoping to complete them as soon as possible. I have come to realize that something always seems to arise and I want to be prepared just in case :). In addition to the task I have another Praxis and two more tests to take. I can see that this time is shaping up to be a busy one. 

A Scholarship For Me!

WGU Awards First Scholarship in Daniels' Name

      Yes that is a picture of me, Chancellor Barber and Governor Daniels! Much to my surprise I was awarded The Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. Go Further Scholarship on January 11, 2013. A day that I will never forget! I am honored, grateful, amazed and thrilled! It is all so exciting and overwhelming! 

     This scholarship means a great deal to me and will assist me in so many ways. I am fast approaching my demonstrative teaching this fall and I do have some financial concerns. Since I have two younger children I will need to enroll them in after school care and that combined with the fact I still need to find reliable transportation, is of great financial concern. By receiving this scholarship that will fund my school expenses, it will free up some much needed funds for a transportation and childcare. It has quite literally relieved some anxieties and allowed to be more able to concentrate on my studies. 

     Receiving the scholarship has also effected me in another way, an emotional way. I am encouraged and humbled. I cannot begin to describe how it feels to have someone believe in you, to notice you, to care about you. Someone noticed my struggles and acknowledge my fight to continue and persevere. That means more to me than words can begin to describe. My biggest challenge now is not to let anyone  down and to succeed. I want to walk across that stage and receive my diploma. I want to go on to do great things and hopefully change young lives for the better. I want to show and set an example for all those adults out there who think they can't, because they can! If I can do it, so can they, so can you! Life isn't always easy but no one ever said it would be. It is up to us to change our destiny, to commit to changing that destiny and following through. 

Thank You WGU Indiana for helping me Go Further!

     

     

The Clouds

I felt this picture of the clouds helps to represent where I have been and what has been going on since my last posting. For me the clouds represent a great many things, reaching for the stars, Heaven, the Divine, and peace. All of these things I have experienced over the last several months.

To answer the big question, YES I am still attending WGU Indiana in my pursuit of becoming a teacher. I haven't given up. I am still reaching for the stars, even though I have had a few bumps in the road on my journey. From my previous post it is noted that I have been dealing with some health issues. Everything finally came tumbling down and I did end up in the hospital where emergency surgery was performed. I believe it was only by Divine intervention that a kind surgeon listened to me, believed me and fought hard with other doctors to recognize there was a problem that needed to be addressed. He quite literally saved my life.

I ended up having three major surgeries in one. I had a very large ventral hernia repaired, my entire left colon removed and major adhesions removed from my umbilical area. I still am having a couple of issues, but I'm doing much better than I was previously. I have a few more test scheduled in the near future and I'm praying everything will come out fine. I desperately want to move on and pray they can eliminate the pain that I still experience from time to time.

Shortly before my surgery, I had another life changing experience. My beautiful, loving, kind mother passed away. It was a day I will never forget. It was Mother's Day and I was at church. Service had just ended and my cell phone rang. It was my sister. She wanted me to know that she had checked on our mom, and found that she was no longer with us. She had passed away peacefully in her sleep. The kids and I were just getting ready to get in the car to pick up a Mother's Day cake and balloons for her. The hardest part was explaining to my little ones that we no longer needed to go to the store, that we needed to go home because Nana had went to Heaven.  I dearly love my mother, but I know that she is at peace now and in the arms of God. She will forever be in my heart, my memories and part of me forever.

As you can see my journey has been long and at times difficult. I have not given up and I believe that life gives us things to make us stronger, to teach us lessons and to mold us into who we are meant to be. How we handle our situations is what defines us. It shows the world who we really are on the inside.

I choose to look at my difficulties as a blessing of sorts. I was honored to take care of my mother the last several years and in her last few months I was given an opportunity to say all the things I wanted to say and to listen and hang on every word she said to me. God blessed us by allowing her to survive a severe heart attack near the end of her life. He saved that time for us to say our goodbyes and to share all that we could with her. I am grateful for that.

My illnesses have taught me so much too. I have learned to appreciate and not take good health and life for granted. I have also learned to accept help from others and most importantly to rely on God for all my needs.