Friday, May 25, 2007

On the move




This is Mark playing kickball with the teens at a recent youth-group event. Isn't he handsome!

On to the news at hand: Mark applied for a hall chaplain position at the University of St Thomas and we found out earlier this week that he got the job!!! Hurray! This is excellent news for us. He will remain at SPO, but in addition he will be working for UST as a chaplain which means that we will have free room/board/misc. in Ireland hall. Strange though it may seem, I am actually excited about moving back into the dorms. Let me assure you, it's not as awful as it sounds! :) We will be living in an apartment, NOT a dorm room. In addition to free room and board (utilities, laundry, internet, etc.), there are countless other benefits: a quick walk across the lawn to daily Mass, living just across the street from the women's household and a dorm away from another chaplain family who are good friends of ours, being able to exercise without the hassle of membership fees (!!!), saving a substantial amount of money for a downpayment...the list goes on. Anyway, we're thrilled! Thank you, Lord! :)

On a sad note, this does mean that Max, our beloved little man, will have to go to a new home. Unfortunately, Mark was not able to convince UST that our cat should become the new school mascot and subsequently this lack of vision means that the no-pet rule applies even to us. I am confident that there is a home out there for our toilet-trained wonder of the world. Say some prayers.


Wednesday, May 9, 2007

It's official!



My nursing license arrived in the mail on Monday. I'm officially a licensed and registered nurse. Yikes and Hurray!!! Last night Mark and I met with our couple's group. They surprised me with a little celebration, including the sign pictured above (pictured at home in our apartment), a gift of (unpopped) popcorn, a cake that said "Congratulations, Betsy" and (popped, buttery) popcorn to be enjoyed by all. I was so excited; my 2 favorite things: sugar and popcorn. They know me so well! :) I think Mark said it best, as he was sharing with his men's group that he feels as though I've been redeemed from slavery. Strange but true, I didn't know how good it would feel to have that part of my life behind me! Praise the Lord. Now, what's next....

Welcome to the family, Fartinella!


I tell ya, middle children can never be trusted! In my defense, Heidi was asking for trouble when she told us his first and last name, but absolutely refused to tell us anything more than his middle initial: F. So, what's a middle child to do, but invent the worst possible name imaginable. Well, bro-in-law-to-be, I hope you don't take it personally. Welcome to our crazy but wonderful family. I think you and Heidi marrying is an "excellent idea!" ;)

Friday, May 4, 2007

I WHAT?!

Well, I caved under pressure and paid the $7.95 for my "unofficial" NCLEX exam results. (Unofficial: the testing center's website has the simple "pass/fail" result 2 days after testing. Official results arrive via the mail a month after testing.) I was tired of hearing people say "no, no, I'm sure you did great; everyone thinks they fail" and knowing that indeed I had failed.

So, here are my results cut-and-pasted (with ID and reg numbers xxxx for security purposes.):

The Pearson VUE Testing service has recorded your unofficial results as shown below. The Board of Nursing to which you applied for licensure will mail your official results to you within approximately four weeks of your exam date. Please note that a passing result alone does not authorize you to practice as a licensed nurse.

Exam Date: Tue, 1 May 2007 at 9:00 AM
Candidate: ELIZABETH ARCHIBALD
NCLEX ID: xxxxx
Registration #: xxxxx
Exam: NCLEX-RN: NCLEX-RN
Grade: pass

I am utterly amazed! I was so convinced that I had failed and I simply wanted that assurance so I didn't have to keep hearing otherwise from well-meaning individuals. I really had no idea that there was even the remotest possibility that I had actually passed! But I did!

I attribute my passing the exam ENTIRELY to the grace of God thanks to all your prayers! Thank you so much! I really couldn't have done it without you!

Now I have to figure out life after the Boards....

Wednesday, May 2, 2007


Mark had to wait until after my big exam for his feastday cake, it's his fav: Fruitcake mit marzipan and a healthy dousing of Brandy. Here it is in all its glory, just before a large chunk was -ectomied. :)
As for that exam...well, it certainly could have gone better, but it went about as expected, esp. in light of being out of the nursing environment for 2 years, etc... Anywho, I'm about 95% sure that I'll be visiting Pearson Vue testing center again in the next few months. But thanks for all your prayers! I could tell that they were extremely efficacious; I was peaceful and calm throughout this past week and while taking the exam. Excellent dress rehearsal, you are all to be commended! ;)