I’m so excited, I start school today. I am taking pre-requisites required for admission to the advanced practice oncology nursing progam. I went last night to buy a notebook and pens…I’ve done that for my kids for years when they’ve started school. It was fun, and also strange, to do it for myself this time. I was lucky to get into the stats class, it was closed when I tried to register, but they over-rode that and got me in! I’ve already talked to the professor about some days I will have to miss class, and he’s going to work with me to give me tests/assignments early when I can’t be there.

I’ve been studying for the GRE exam (the equivelent of SATs or ACTs for a high school student entering college, but this a test for admission to grad school)for about a week now. I bought books and software to help me prep for that test.

I talked to the graduate program director at the college I want to attend today, she said in light of my high GPA from my previous degrees, they are wiaving the requirement for me to take that test. How cool is that! I don’t have to relearn advanced mathematics! I’d been trying to remember how to do quadratic equations…

The school has said they may find a clinical rotation in Indiana for me also, so I wouldn’t have to commute to Illinois for that (4 hour round trip). They also may let me take the masters classes in reverse order, so that I could take all of the oncology classes first and be able to sit for the oncology certification exam before graduation. They have been so kind and supportive (and I haven’t even turned in my application yet!).

I also went yesterday to be fingerprinted and to have a background check so that I can apply for a nursing licence in Illinois. Mapquest is not always correct, I’ve learned. I spent a lot of time on the wrong roads. And it was strange being finger-printed….I felt that is supposed to happen when you’ve done something wrong? Now my fingerprints will be in the FBI database. I watch CSI a lot…I guess I better not participate in criminal activity from here on in, or they will know because of my fingerprint profile!

I’m excited now, though, about moving forward and dreaming. About planning for a future.

And I’ve noticed that doors seem to magically open sometimes….maybe when we are doing what we are meant to be doing? I truly believe there is a master plan.