Love Day and Lessons Learned

It has been a hectic, crazy week in our little household! Between going through our house-buying process, various doctors appointments, playdates and birthday parties, and Christian doing a final cram before his CPNE (Clinical Performance in Nursing Examination) in New York, I'd say we made it through the week rather well!

Christian has spent the last 8 months studying, testing and preparing to become a Registered Nurse (did I mention he has been working full-time as an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) at the same time?!). My wonder-man is about to travel across the country to New York, to take a 3 day exam that entails thousands of dollars, countless hours preparing, time off of work, and dare I say the stress equivalent to taking several years off his life! He is to spend 3 days performing labs, as well as treating and caring for actual patients in a hospital he is unfamiliar with.....while a clinical examiner watches his every move. The chance for failure for anyone taking this exam is huge....with only a 68% pass rate! Let's just say that we are taking Philippians 4:6 to heart: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

In the midst of all this, the boys and I found time to make a turkey. Random, yes...but I guess the motivation of not having to lug a frozen turkey to our new house when we move was enough to fit it in the schedule. Judah had recently obtained a stuffed-animal turkey from his grandma...which had become loved and slept with him in his bed at night. Needless to say, both the boys learned a thing or two about the circle of life during this activity!

  And then, there was Valentine's Day. One of the last days before Christian left for New York, he didn't have a lot of time to focus on mushy love stuff. The boys and I made heart cookies, and they each recieved a small gift (Josiah got his very first watch...hot wheels themed, of course! And Judah got a license plate with his name on it for the new bike his grandparents gave him for Christmas).  It was a sweet day!