New Friends

Just thought I'd introduce you to a few of my classmates. These crazy cats are Tarah, Kevin (below) and James. We are all first years and took this at the little gathering the second years planned for us at "Fast Eddie's" a bar near our school. It was fun. Anyways, I just thought you'd all like to know that I've actually made a few friends and don't sit at home alone on friday nights.

ate mais,
Ana

2 days in!

We've been in class two days now and really its everything I expected it to be: long, tiring, interesting, applicable, fun. We've already learned about positioning and draping, measuring joints and had an anatomy quiz (that I got a 20% on) to see how much we know for class, and ultimately see how much we are going to need to know by the time the first test comes by and ultimately our licensure exam in 3 years.

I don't really know what else to say other than that I better start reading "kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system" for my functional anatomy class.

lata!
Ana

Ready or Not?

Tomorrow is the big day! Classes start and we get to find out what this is really all about. Life is already hectic. Made a trip out to Cheney yesterday only to find out we have to go back for our IDs, paid $569 for books (and that wasn't including the ones we "don't need"), $143 for a year-round parking permit, and I am already wondering if the loans I took out will actually be enough after paying for everything we need just to "set up" life this quarter. I think the finances will get better after we get everything but its really a bear! Who knows if I'll even be able to get the computer I want, so far I just have to trust. Trust God that I'm in the right place, trust my logic that my loan will cover all of my expenses, trust that the comcast modem will come in time for our install (i'm at a sweet cafe near my house now) and trust that when my credit card bill comes I won't wipe out my savings to pay for it.

My roommates are great, I think we will get along great. Sure, we are doing a little bit of head butting because we are getting to know each other while also trying to duke out living together, but I think after a week or two we'll get into the groove of things without much trouble.

Our orientation went well. We walked in to a room with a nice gym-bag of stuff with our names on them at each seat. I feel like I'm going to med school because in it was a stethoscope, a blood pressure taker (called a sphygnomonomer or something) goniometers of different sizes, a reflex hammer, a gait belt, stop watch, and all sorts of goodies. They insist that we paid for them with our tuition, but I still would like to consider it a gift. We also get key cards into our classrooms and even a key into the building. Its pretty awesome!

Other than that, I already have my first test scheduled, Thursday in Anatomy... supposedly just to see what we know. Unfortunately I am only good at differentiating my right leg from my left but beyond that I don't remember much. Dr Russell (my advisor, anatomy professor and the director of the PT school) says that this whole year is just an "in-depth review" so hopefully the things I knew will come back to me and the class will be a building ground for the additional learning we need.

Anyways, wish me luck and check in on me! I'm sure I'll be up to my neck with studying before the week is up (Dr Russell informed us that there won't be enough hours in the day to read everything our classes assign) so it would be good to know that there is life beyond our study room.

beijos,
Ana

ps: my african violet is blooming! I think she likes her new window seat

letting go...

As I kissed Josh and Dan goodnight after watching them for 3 years a deep sadness comes over me. Nothing has really bothered me about leaving like leaving my boys. Josh started kindergarden last week. Is it possible that I've watched him since he was 3 and now he's a big 6 year old? Amy talks about how tough it is for her to let go, and I can easily identify with her. Next wednesday someone else will come over to take care of my kids, and while I know that she's fully capable, possibly more capable than I am (a UW grad student studying special ed), I still feel like they are in better care when I am with them. I remember the fall of my junior year of college when I first came over. Danny was still in a high chair and josh was just 3 years old. After one time I taught him that its NOT OK to pee in the tub. Amy called me the next day asking what I had done to teach him that, I said that I told him it was gross and it stuck for some reason. She called me her savior, I told her that that was Jesus, but I'd be happy to help Him out. Josh has forever been my easy kid. You tell him no one time and you never have to say no again. Its crazy to think that my time of being with them at least once a week is over. With tears streaming down my face I realize how following your dreams means you have to let go of the comforts, let go of home, follow blindly, knowing that the path you have laid out for you is better than the path you would have if you stayed put, because staying put is such an easy option, especially when I was accepted into the UW program and could have stayed here if I chose to. But the point is that I'm not meant for the UW right now, EWU has the better place for me... I must go, even if it means that life changes even though my dreams are becoming a reality. No body ever said it was easy, but the rewards are great, and I gladly accept the rewards, along with the challenges, the frustrations and the lessons learned.

here we go!

My Brasil blog was such a hit I thought I'd make one for PT school also. I hope I can be deligent enough to update it regularly, and be a little more thorough than "Arrrgh! too much work, haven't slept in days", but no promises. Knowing that PT school will be harder than undergrad leads me to believe that free time isn't something I'll have a lot of. I hope that everyone can keep me in their prayers, give me a call randomly to get me out of my studying hole, or even drop by spokane (with a little warning) and hang out. I'm sure that I'm going to be missing you all terribly even if I have 35 new friends in my class to keep me company.