Welcome to the Wild wild Midwest...
Fireflies flickering in between the Chinese Elms, debating to grab a jar to catch them and reminisce my childhood or to catch the suckers barehand and smear the bug juice and pretend I am at a rave with neon paint on.
The midwest sounded very unsettling as Dad and I landed 2 weeks ago. With our first stop at White Castle, and our order totaling 3 dollars I knew this culture shock was just beginning.
Having the Green side of the fam dear and near is such a treat. You never realize how great family is till they are right under your nose, the Greens always allow for a hoot of a time.
Before I could really allow myself to panic about this whole midwest thing, I forced Holly to come spend the night with me, my first night at my new apartment, and she was here in under 2 hours. THAT is lovely. Long distance friendships should be illegal, never can escape them. Holly calmed the storm, and overnight I was ready for this next leap.
Last Monday I entered the doors of Saint Elizabeth Nursing school. Surrounded by worried faces, and tumbling stomachs. I was sweating and eager to hear how screwed I was.
Nonetheless day one was pleasant, information overload, but pleasant. Met a friend, didn't burst into tears, was reissued scrubs that fit...first pair were more on the gangster-swag side.
and
It was a happy day.
Indiana in whole is a lot like getting lost in a corn maze. Small country roads, and tons of tall tall cornstalks making every dang road look exactly the same. The massive windmills in every pasture don't help much either. The men are gentleman, the girls all looking for a farmer. The food is weak, the wine is weaker.
But I am happy.
My home is cozy and a huge DIY project success.
My roommate is rad and supports my endless desire to decorate and organize. She even allows me to continue to share my tradition of drinking out of mason jars like my previous roommates and I did, so far two thumbs up.
My forever dream to be a nurse is finally here. Its time to shine.
I texted Holly the night before my very first day, saying "tomorrow is the day"
She set reality in quickly saying before you know you will be sending me the same text the night before you graduate.
It's true.
As much of a anti-school person I am, I am excited. The wait is over.
This past weekend was "moving" to say the least. In short, flew to Texas for a convention of a product I have been a full believer in from day one...Zeal. Its my hangover cure, as well as my daily dose of amazingness. Natural energy, loaded with vitamins, sways illness, just amazing.
Nonetheless the company itself is a Christian believing company, that always ends their 3 day conventions on Sunday with a day of worship. To be honest...I had a lot on my mind. Homework piled up to my ears, and I had no desire to be there nor knew why I was entering the walls of this faith overload when ultimately I was lost in my homework, my thoughts, my financial overload form starting this not so cheap school, my career path, and bottomline...lost in my faith.
As the service commenced, my head was bowed, my anxiety was high, and tears began to stream from my eyeballs. Why? I wasn't sure. In the amount of 2.34 seconds before I could wipe my tears a man tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to follow him for a moment. I was then surrounded by him and his wife all in tears, as they grabbed my hand and placed something in my hand and looked into my eyes with a beam of faith and slowly said...."We don't know who you are, what your name is, or why you out of 3,000 people in this room,but we were called to give this to you for whatever stress or reason that may be in your way....and know, that He will help you."
What was placed in my palm was a rectangular piece of paper with a dollar amount much larger than I can even grasp.
.....
The thing is, its not about this money that will now make things glide smoothly this first semester, but it was an act of something greater than kindness...I'd like to call it faith.
The power of One.
Man.
The weather fanatics of Indiana tell me winter is nearing, and that almost has me more scared than nursing school itself. Taking suggestions for brands of warm warm winter wear.
Yours truly the temporary Midwestern
