A New R.N. in the Family!

Congratulations are in order for my youngest daughter, Jackie!  Today, our family and Jackie's long-time friends gathered to watch and celebrate her R.N. pinning ceremony upon completion of her final quarter in her associate R.N. nursing degree.  She has worked so very hard putting aside many things in her singular effort to become a registered nurse.  We are very proud of all her hard work and her 4.0 grade point average.

So, of course, I had to make a card for Jackie for this special occasion. I made her card while on my vacation in California from an original design by my sister, Heidi Gonzales (mylilscrapcorner.blogspot).   As I was creating it, I thought it would be perfect for this occasion with the grandfather clock denoting it was time to celebrate something very special.  After completing the outside and deciding on the right sentiment for the front of the card, I began to formulate my inside verse to celebrate Jackie.  I hope she likes the card and the special words meant just for her.

Recipe:  Papertrey Ink designer paper and cardstocks. SU Punches: Modern Label, Word Window. EK Fancy Corners. Papertrey Mehndi Medallion Impression Plate. Sizzix Tags. Wilton 4-inch Doily. Hug Snug Melon seambinding ribbon. MFT Felt: Jellybean Green. Prima flower. Stash: Lace & Fringe.

It has been an interesting voyage watching this young lady grow from a gawky teenager to a beautiful young lady.  She began her college career thinking she wanted to be a professional photographer.  Her first college degree at the local community college was an Associated of Arts degree.  She went from there to the Seattle Art Institute and received a photography degree...her specialty fashion photography!   After several years of working in photography, she came to the conclusion that to be really successful in her preferred line of photography, she would have to move from the northwest, and she had no desire to do that.

During these years and somewhere along the way, she became interested in nursing as a possible change for her life's career.  This isn't too strange because both of her grandmothers were nurses, and she has numerous aunts and cousins who are nurses.  To be sure that was her calling, she volunteered at Harborview Medical Center and went back to college to get her Certified Nursing Assistant license.  She was able to get her first CNA job at Harborview and was elated.  After a year of working at Harborview, she was sure she wanted to be a nurse. 

Her attempt to achieve this goal is a little slower than some, as she basically had to start college all over again changing from arts to science!  So, back to college she went while still working part-time at Harborview to acquire the prerequisites needed to even be able to even apply for a nursing program.  It was a long and arduous trek, taking biology, chemistry, microbiology, anatomy & physiology, psychology, and numerous other classes, but she was finally ready to find a school.  Trying to get her nursing degree in an economical manner, she chose the L.P.N. to R.N. bridging route at our local community college, which would mean four full-time quarters, and then apply and test for her L.P.N. nursing license.  Working for a year after passing the L.P.N., she bridged to an associate part-time R.N. program while still working part-time in private pediatric care. 

Today, she finished the next step in the ladder to her final goal, getting her B.S.N.  She has already formulated her plan to work as an R.N. for a year, and then apply to the University of Washington's Bachelors of Science R.N. part-time bridge program.  Personally, I think the Bachelor's degree may not end up being the final step, but we'll see as time unfolds.  Her entire family, of course, wishes her the very best and will continue to love and support her!  Though this story became rather lengthy, I hope I did not rattle on too long...can you tell I'm a proud parent!