I did it!!!!!!!!!!!

I did it. I can't believe I did it. I finished the semester and I met my goals too. I am so amazed. I can not remember a time I have felt so good about myself as I do right now. I was able to go to ACC and take 4 classes and finish the semester with 2 A's and 2 B's. Wow. I do not want to be so egotistical about this post to be bragging on my accomplishments, but I do want to look back and see what the Lord and brought me through and guided me every step of the way. I give all the praise and glory to God. I know He has something HUGE in my path. I just know it. I am also able to do some social working from home to help my friends. I have found out I need some crazy instructions to figure out insurance and Medicare etc. I need to know whats out there and how it works. There has to be instructional classes for this. If they are out there I will find it. I have so many contacts in many different fields. Something else I have found is that When I once relied on some people for help I am finding I now am able to help them. I am giving them advice now. I love being used in that way. I have always been a giver and helper and am now finding my way back to that. I feel like I am at the point like Isaiah, Here I am Lord, send me. I am ready to go and do what I can. I am also figuring out how to use my contacts and resources to do that. Yeah God. I am so excited to get going on this. I am ready to help other, like members of my own family too. It has been such a God thing to be able to step in and say Hey, I want to help you, lets do this. Even my own kids. This last weekend we did a special youth thing at church with Dr. Richard Ross (from Seminary) He is Ryan's (our youth leader) mentor. The boys and I connected. We now are stopping each other and telling each other to get along talk use words stop and be nice and encouraging to each other. It has been a terrific week and its only Wed. Last night we all came in the living room and watched Tangled (animated Disney). hahaha. Don't tell anyone. Shhhh. I am feeling really good. Merry Christmas everyone. Be back soon........

School's Out For Christmas

Hey ya'll. I'm all done. Such a great feeling to be finished. I worked through my English final on Saturday. It took 2 and a half hours and I was so medicated I hardly remember what I wrote. Survey says I got a A- on the paper and an A for the class. The Prof told me I would be a great English Major. Wow I want to write a book. Then I did all my assignments for Social Work and I worked through my final, again medicated and I ended the class with an A. Biology was the scary class. I went all the way to Round Rock campus to pick up my old exams so I could study. I knew I could take a comprehensive exam and drop my lowest exam grade. Well calculated out my exam 4 was a 61 so I needed the exam to drop that one. I needed to make a 71 and I made a 75. So I ended with a B by 4 points. Yeah. Now waiting for History of Texas. Depending on what I made on yesterday's exam My average will have 13 extra credit points added to it. So my average was a 72 then with 13 points I would have an 85. So hopefully my exam grade is ok so I am in the B range but being sick and focusing on Biology I may end up with a C. Either way I am ok. I just can't believe I have done it. I didn't give up  even though there were times I questioned myself and wondered what I was thinking. How can I do this. I would pray and I know I had people praying for me too. The sad thing was yesterday I finished my Biology exam and asked if I could stay in there and study for my History exam. He said sure. It was warm and extremely quiet. Well there was a girl across from me taking the exam too. She took a long time to do ite too. I think she is a special ed student. She got caught looking at her notes during her exam. The Prof was so mad and upset. He took up her exam and took her into the hall. She came back in crying and said she was grateful for what she had learned. Prof said that was the worse part of his position. The bad side. I felt so bad for him. he was a great teacher. It didn't hurt that he was young and single and cute too. I could listen to him all day. Hmmm...... Ok moving on. I have to say I am so grateful for the opportunity to do this. I am also trying so hard to be an example to my kids too. If I can do this they can too. Don't give up. Keep trying its not that bad. Make something of your life and do what God wants you to do. So I have given back the rental textbooks and sold back my other ones. I ended up with $32 back from my used books that I sold back. Woohoo. See ya next semester. Classes will be British Literature, Texas State and Local Government, Another Biology Class and Math (Basic). Well, Govt should be interesting during an election year. and I am thinking Biology will be easier this go round. It is on ecosystems and habitats. No cell studies. Yeah. Then math should be fine and Brit Lit should be fun too. See ya Jan 18th or so. Happy New Year and Have a Merry Christmas.

Working Hard

Things are going well. I am working hard and knocking things out. Got all English papers done and accepted so now I just have to take the final. I have all paperwork things done for Social Work. I just have to finish the last three questions for the final and post it by 5pm today. Then my focus will be on Biology and History. Biology final is next Tuesday and History is next Thursday. I think it will be ok. I will be sad not to have these classes any more. I have come to love these professors and the kids in the classes too. Almost over.

I am going to be ok

God is so awesome. I was so stressed last week. I so wanted to do well on my tests in Biology and Tx History. I am going to have to relax and just do my best and trust in God to help me. No I didn't do so well in Biology it was a 65, BUT, when my professor showed me the points added up I know I will be just fine by the end of it all. Then I go to Tx. History and I made an 83 on that one. So excited. I have a 72 average, BUT, when I add in my 10 points for my critique (If accepted) and the other 3 points extra credit I could be averaging a 85. That is good for me. I will end up with a probable 2 A's in my other 2 classes. I can do this. I am going to be ok. I have been fretting about my 25 hours I needed to volunteer for my Social Work class. Well this past Sunday Josh and I signed up on the Spirit 105.9 radio station to volunteer. They help the largest Central Texas Family Fun Festival. So many activities and so many bands (top name). We were able to get in for free, and volunteer our time AND enjoy the bands and the people and the food too. It was great. If there is anything that you do with your family, you should set aside the time and the money and go to this event. This year was the first ANNUAL. That means they will be doing this every year.  Woohoo. It was so totally awesome with Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant and Peter Furhler, and Tenth Ave. North, then 3rd Day ended the evening under the stars. You think its expensive? Think about it. All afternoon and evening, events for the whole family and a full day of concerts with big name stars and local bands too. General Admission seats were $25. Before the day of the event you can buy a ticket and get a child's ticket free. That's a bargain. We won't forget this for a long time. There were thousands of people worshiping God singing HOLY HOLY HOLY under the stars Acapella WOW. So all that and I received my volunteer time too for class. Like I said, I will be ok and God is AWESOME. He answers your prayers in so many ways you don't ever expect.

The Most Awful Week

This week leaves me wondering what was I thinking when I decided to tackle school. I haven't been this tired and stressed in a very long time. I had a lot of pressure at school. Due date for an English paper on Wed. the 9th and a book critique for Tx History due today Nov. 10th and 7:30 this am Biology Exam and at noon a Tx History Exam. I have studied and studied. I was up til Midnight last night and up at 6 this am. I have been running all afternoon and now I am sitting back and relaxing. Jeremy made roast potatoes and carrots and now Josh is making rolls. Mmmmmm. I have been smelling it for about and hour now. Soooo I will be enjoying the rest of my evening and then getting a really good night sleep. I haven't been able to go to Bible study for two weeks and I have really missed it. I didn't get any work done on the study but I am going anyway. I always learn something. I will find out on Tuesday what my grades are on my tests. I am not doing very well in Tx History. The good thing is if I have my book critique accepted I earn 10 points on my final grade in Tx History. I also have 3 points in that class for extra credit. Thats 13 points. If I have a 67 then I would have an 80 for a final. Cool huh? Everything will be ok now. This 3/4 push was hard. Later......

Oh My Goodness

It has been a while since I posted last. I have been super busy. I still am crunched at lest through this Thursday. I have 2 major exams on Thursday and a book critique paper. Some days I think I don't have a clue what I am doing. Other days I think of how much smarter I am now than I was 5 months ago. I just want to do well. I don't necessarily have to be an A student, just not a D one. So looks like Tx History will be more challenging this go round that Biology. My professor has been out almost 3 weeks and I feel like I don't know anything in this unit. He will be back tomorrow for review and then the test is on Thurs. I think I am doing nothing this week till Friday. No small group no Wed night church nothing. I have missed my Friday morning bible study group two Fridays in a row. I will be back this week. I love studying God's word and I miss not going so much. I know this is just a very small part of my time here on earth but it seems like an eternity. Well I think I will go clean off my desk and get busy. I can't really study unless things are cleaned up, just funny that way. If things are not organized I feel like I am unorganized too. Crazy huh? Josh is not feeling well today. He's home from school. Kinda throws me off. Ok Here I go. Focus Focus Focus. Pray for me to do well this week. Thanks

Everywhere

I was talking with my Biology professor the other day and he said, just wait. You will be sitting waiting for a table at a restaurant and then you will start talking Biology with someone next to you. I said oh no, maybe you will but not me. Well I am finding it creeping in everywhere. I was watching Body of Proof last week and they found 2 types of blood at a crime scene and thought the roommate did it. Well He didn't. He had actually given his bone marrow to the roommate so the dead guy had his blood and the roommates in him. Hmmmm, Then totally unrelated, I am watching the Ranger playoff game and the pitcher for Detroit has one brown eye and one blue eye too. Wow I know it happens but haven't seen it up close like that. Then I start thinking Biology. We are studying DNA and I am thinking there is a mutation somewhere in the gene line. Hahaha. He was right. It is everywhere and here I am talking about it.
In English I am writing a paper on the short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find". Then I am watching Person of Interest the other night, and he is telling this guy on there he might be a good man you never know. A Good Man is Hard to Find. Hahahaha. Its everywhere.
So then I think should I just stop watching so much TV? Then I am thinking Social Work. One of our extra credit assignments is to go for 2 weeks without watching TV. ARGGGGG Make it stop.
So then I am thinking this isn't such a bad thing. That is why I am in school to learn right? So I guess I am getting my money's worth. Cause I am remembering. Also I did answer a History question on Jeopardy yesterday from some thing I learned in my History class. It is useful stuff, right?
Ya'll have a great week. I know I will. Watch out what you watch, and hear it could be useful.

Just a quick note

I made an 82 on my Biology Exam from last week. Yeah 10 points higher than my last test. Now I have to study for my History Test tomorrow. It counts 25 percent of my semester grade. More later. Skipping Social Work class. Not liking it much. I won't miss a lot though. Just discussion about children leaving homes in Honduras and other Central American countries to come to the US to either find relatives here or opportunities that they do not have in their country. Saw the first half yesterday. Will find out what I missed because Josette is in my History and SW class. She can let me know. Talk to ya'll soon.

Happy Columbus Day

Today is Columbus Day. Reminds me of Tx History. I studied where Columbus got the whole thing started in exploring the US. Anyway. Things are progressing really well. I received another A on my next English paper. Now I have a third one to turn in today. I am waiting for the grade on my Biology test. That was last Thursday and I will get the grade tomorrow when I go to class. I really hope I made at least a B on it. I have been trying to get some volunteer things done but it seems every time I am about to go in somewhere something happens and I can't. I was all set to volunteer today at my apt complex and they are closed for Columbus Day. Maybe it isn't meant to be. I do have some time in at Coalition For Life. Also will have some time in for the youth mission project next Sat. We shall see. I figured even if I don't get a grade for the volunteer time but I do everything else I will receive a B for the class. That's ok I guess. I really have to spend a lot more time studying than most people I think. I just found out last week that I am now in Complete Remission. I am so excited about that. NO more cancer in my body. I want to keep it that way. So now I have to work even harder and faster to reach my goals, so I can work and sustain us after disability ends. I am concentrating on Spring registration now. I have to prepare to go in and take a math equivalency test. It will tell if I am ready for college math or if I need a remedial course first. I hope I don't. But it has been a long while since I have done math at all. Closest thing I guess was listening in on Joshua while he was being tutored in Algebra yesterday. So we shall see. I need to get that done this next week. Then get the rest of my classes set up. I have to take a class for my degree either in Art, Film or Music. So I think it will be music appreciation. It will have a lot to do with ancient composers like Bach and Mozart. Well I had better go and get to studying on History. I have a Tx History test on Thursday and I want to do much better that a 75 I did on the last test. More later about that Biology test. Have a great wek, I know I will.

Before I forget this

I wanted to post today cause I thought of a few things and I knew if I waited I would forget to put it in. I am so happy to have a computer to help me with my schoolwork. This is an incredible tool. I read a story for English that I had a lot of trouble understanding. I looked it up online (not to steal, I want you to know) to understand the story. It helped so much that I got started on it today and it isn't due for 2 more weeks. LOL.  I certainly didn't have this kind of help when I was in school before. There was something else, but I forgot what it was hahaha. I do know the more I add to my plate, if it is of God it will fit and I will have the energy to do it. It was very encouraging to have the Austin Coalition for Life come into my life last week. Of course I said sure I will help to pray for these women. So 1 hour a week from Sept. 28 thru Nov. 7th I will be praying in front of an abortion clinic on Anderson Mill Road, very peaceably expecting God to step in and do something big to change the lives of these women that feel they have no choice. Also to protect the lives of these precious babies God created in their mother's womb to do something great on this earth. I feel very important in God's plan right now. Like I said, the more I get the more I feel I have time to help. Very cool. Anyway if I think of the other thing I will probably do a new post so stay tuned..... Thanks for reading.

Guess What?

I am so very happy. I made an A on my English paper. Wow what a motivator that was. I started thinking about going back to school when I thought I wanted to write a book. I still want to write a book. I didn't think I was qualified to do so and thought maybe I should take some classes. I am thinking with good proofreading it could be ok. Anyway I am looking at that for sometime in the future, I think. I also made new friends in Biology and we have set up a study group. I am very excited about this. Anything helps in Biology. What is interesting about this group is we are all different races. I am the white girl. There is a hispanic girl and a hispanic guy, a black girl and an Indian? girl Not sure exactly her nationality. Isn't that an interesting make up? I just know it will help so much. We are all older except for the Indian girl. So we are very focused on learning this. No fooling around here. We are definitely in school on purpose. That means we have chosen to be there to fulfill a purpose of getting a degree for a better job and know what we are there for. Some kids right out of school don't know this. I was told yesterday that my 16 year old son should know right now what he wants to do in life. I don't agree. I was told by someone else today that their son didn't know till recently what he wanted to do and he is 35 yr old. So who is to say. You could think you are on the right path and then God changes your circumstances and you have to start over. So who is to say what is right or wrong or if you should know while your in High School or won't know till you have a family. I pray for my high schooler that God be in control of his life and his choices are obedient to Him. I pray he will listen to God when He speaks to him. I did hear something interesting the other day. Two guys were talking about it not being church God is interested in but a relationship with him. I told them that I totally agree and it was refreshing to hear them talk about it that way. Then I saw a man stop and pray before he ate at lunch. I found both of these things very encouraging. I have seen a lot of discouraging things so I am grateful to God showing me I am not the only Christian there. So onward we go. Lots of work to be done at school as well as for God.

Good Morning

Morning friends. I am sooo excited to be in school. I am working hard at preparing for what God wants to do in my life. This week I have 2 classes that were canceled. So now I have extra time to get all caught up. I received a 75 on my History test. I can do better there I know. I missed the questions from the fourth chapter and that is the one I didn't study that well. Hmmmm a connection? Yes. I must study a chapter a week to be in understanding of the information. It is very funny though. I try to never put things off till the last minute. I bought the scantron sheets for testing the first week of school knowing we would be needing them in history for tests. Then last Thursday on test day kids were all over the place trying to get sheets from people. 2 things that were funny. One is they were ALL guys that needed them and two, the bookstore had sold out of them. Hahaha. No wonder they were panicked. But the real kicker was after all that searching and all is in their seats, the teacher comes in and says, "I understand the bookstore is out of Scantrons so if you are needing one come on up and get one from me." Hahaha, he was giving them out, they just didn't know till the last minute. See what happens when you put things off. Ok well I work like that with my school work too. I don't ever like to leave assignments till the last minute either. I am well ahead in social work, so that is good. I was the first to turn in my assignment this week. It isn't due until Friday and I posted it on Sunday this week. I am doing another assignment a month ahead of time too. I feel good about it. Also we are putting together a study group for Biology. I am kinda getting it more this unit that I did the last. I think I have what my UT student son says is a rhythm. I believe that is it. I have gotten into a rhythm. Lets go.........

My First Test -The result

Hello friends. I wanted to let you know that I received my grade for my first major test since starting back in school. It was Biology and yes it was hard. I had studied and studied and prayed and prayed and finally hope that I would get a C. Well.....I got a 72. I wish it had been better but I am just so glad I passed. The class average was in the middle 70's so I wasn't alone, although as I glanced at the girl next to me, she got a 90. Wow. I need to talk to her more. Her name is Brandy. Hahaha. We did a lab group together yesterday. We all decided we need to study more. Wow I don't know how I could have studied more. Hmmmmmm. I just think it was stinkin HARD. Ok It is done over move on. I can do a comprhensive test at the end of the course and if I do well it could replace my lowest grade. Lets hope this grade is my lowest. right?
  Now I have to focus on History. I have a test tomorrow on the first four chapters of the text book and on three lectures. It isn't too hard. I can retain most of it, but I do need to spend the rest of today focusing on this. I also need to read two stories for English and start writing that paper. I have 4 film documentaries to watch and write an 800 word commentary on Blackboard and work on Biology too. Wow. We are now in full swing so I better get after it. Oh and I can't forget Isaiah. He's important to me to study him too on Friday mornings. God grades that one. LOL Till next time......Studyyyyyyyyyyy

My First Test

I was soooo nervous. I studied and studied. I prayed and prayed. I stayed up late. I asked questions. I tested myself. I went through all the rules of testing. I woke up late the morning of the test. I had to time to review the notes before the test. So I said Lord I put it in your hands. I can't do any more. I recognized all the info but couldn't recall it all in test form. So we shall see. I get results on Tuesday. I am nervous about it but I know I can do better next time. More and more work coming my way. Three papers to do this weekend. Now I get to study for a Texas History test. That is next Thursday. So we shall see how that goes. So much information so little time. I like writing actually. I really do want to write a book someday. I think this is getting me prepared for it. Learning all the rules. I am writing a critique on a History Book about Quahnah Parker and the Comanche Indians. That will be due the first of November. Should be rather interesting. Another guy in the class is writing on the same book. Only about 6 out of our whole class is doing it. If accepted (shouldn't be hard) you add 10 points to your grade. I could easily make an A. Then I have to do a Biology paper on whale bones. Just a one page thing to let him know we read it. I have to do 15 of those by the end of the semester. Interesting things I am learning. Interesting people I am meeting. I want to make a difference in someone's life concerning God. That would be really good. Talked to a guy at the movie theater about faith this afternoon. He didn't seem very interested but I did plant a seed. It may be the only thing I do in his life and I may never see him again, he heard about hope and faith in God. Ok now that I hav written this I can now write something else. See ya. I'll let you know what I did on the test (maybe).

My First Paper continued

I just realized I didn't talk about my first English paper. That was part of my rewrite and I left it out the second time. Oh well. I turned in my first English paper - a summary of a short story. It came back with only one minor correction needed. I did it right then and it was accepted. Yeah. that was really cool. Very motivating. Now on to paper number two. I will let you know how it goes. This one is on a summary a central idea and characters. Hmmmmm.

My first paper

I am soooo excited. I looked back to my English class at ACC right out of high school and I made an A. Wow I just typed my whole blog and it just disappeared. Now if I could learn to type correctly I would be ok. I actually think I can make it in school now. It isn't so overwhelming this week as it was last week. It is starting to make sense. I do realize that if I listen to the lectures and then read the book and then look at the assignments and study guides, it all makes sense. Or it starts to make sense. This weekend is Labor Day and I will spend it laboring over my schoolwork. I have 4 papers to write and a Biology test to study. Biology is going to be the most challenging. The test is next Thurs. then the next week is History test. It shouldn't be as tough. I get the History, if i can remember how to spell the Indian names. LOL. I think me going back to school, is motivating Josh. He is taking Biology too. He told me yesterday he will help me study. That should be fun. Well. I am off now to go run errands. I need to get groceries for Ms. Frankie and then its laundry day. I can study while I do the laundry. Woohoo. More later as the saga continues.

First week

Ok I survived the first week. I started school last Monday with no voice and no car. The alternator went out. But God is good. I made it. I sat in English class and it all sounded foreign to me. Then slowly it started coming back and made sense. Jeremy helped me proof read my first paper. I turn it in today. I had a panic attack this morning when I couldn't get it to print and thought my lap top had crashed. But it didn't. I just had to plug it in somewhere else. Wow. I think the hardest change has been on the kids. They are realizing I am not able to do it all for them. They did laundry yesterday. Yeah. Josh was upset a little the other day because I wasn't home when he got home. He wanted to tell me something. That makes me a little sad, but at the same time its a good thing. They need to get used to this. I have discovered I need to set boundaries. I can't just sit and watch TV. I have to utilize my time. I also have to tell the kids don't disturb me now, I'm working. All in all it will be good. I had better get busy. Monday mornings are when I should be studying. LOL

Back to school

     I am writing this on day three of being back in school. I am trying to obey what God wants in my life, and I believe He has made it possible for me to do this and start a new beginning in my life.He made the funding appear and it also helped me get caught up on my bills. My classes are a full load. I am taking English and Biology (about genetics and DNA) also Texas History and Social Work. My degree will be in Social Work (Assoc) when I finish 3 semesters. I did one semester right out of high school, so it counted.
     Oh, and if you don't know me very well, I am 51 years old. I am a single mother of 2 boys. Jeremy is almost 20 and a Sophomore at UT (Physics major). Joshua is 16 a junior in high school (with his first girlfriend). I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer in Oct. 2009, had radiation and chemo, then a stem cell transplant in May 2010. I am in remission now and go back every 4 months for follow ups. I am a patient at MDAnderson in Houston. So after all of that I had to decide what to do now. I can't sit here on disability and doing nothing, and eating too much, gaining weight (possibly becoming diabetic), because I have nothing to do. Then I would be stuck with hardly anything when my kids move out. I can't and won't do that. That is just not who I am. I have to be busy to be productive. So, since I have a 20 year background in childcare and I help an elderly lady as her medical liaison, and several other reasons, I decided on Social Work. I am interested in several fields of social work. So I will pursue this and see where it leads. I really believe this is where the Lord is leading me. I am also doing a precepts bible study on Friday mornings on the book of Isaiah. Very exciting stuff.
      I decided I would blog my journey and see where that will lead me. This is the only way I can actual journal. People say it is important to do this. Oh, back to my first day of school. I woke up Sunday am with no voice. Of course it carried through to the first day of school. The teacher says. "Let's go around the room and tell us something about yourself"? Ha, they could barely hear me.Oh well. It was quite something, I have to say. Then that afternoon, my car broke down. The alternator went out. Why, oh why does this happen now? I Had to take a cab Tuesday morning to my 7:30 Biology class.
     Yes I said 7:30am, every Tuesday and Thursday. Wow.  He said we can bring coffee in. Ok, I can do that. The Professor is very nice. He is younger and explains things very well. Then I have a Professor in English who shall I say is very mature? She looks like she's been teaching 50 years. Then I have a quite mature History teacher. He is a character. He might just make it so I do well in History for once. Last is the really nice young Social Work teacher. She looks like a very interactive teacher and it should make it quite easy to do well in her class too. If only I can write the English papers well. How did I do on this one? More later. Should have much more by the end of the week. It is only Wednesday.