The Beginning of the End

***Disclaimer: So I just read my wife's most recent post and our blogs start off almost exactly the same way. I had written the vast majority of this post a few days ago, but didn't publish it because I wanted to add more when I had time. Meanwhile, Natalie wrote hers and I guess great minds think alike because we both intro'd our posts the same way. Either way, I will keep my original intro regardless.***

No I'm not talking about the end of the world. I'm talking about the school years of myself and my wife. I'm talking about the era of class, homework, tests, weekends spent working in restaurants, overall being poor, having little to no time with my wife, having little to no money to do anything fun with my wife, the constant anxiety centered around wondering if I will pass the next test and make it to the next quarter. It's all coming to an end. The countdown has started and the number is getting low enough that we can actually feel it now. Last Friday, Natalie passed her exit exam at Apollo, which is the last hurdle she had to pass in order to graduate with her RN on March 23rd. Yesterday she completed her last clinical shift in the hospital. Next time she treats a patient in a hospital, she will be getting paid for it. This weekend she begins a study course to prepare her for the state nursing licensure exam that she will take at the end of March. Then she's eligible for hire in April. I'm so proud of her. I remember when she timidly started the degree, looking at the mound of books, looking at the daunting task before her. Now she's through it, more mature, more educated, and ready to be a healthcare professional.

For me, the countdown has begun as well. When I laid out my clinical schedule for my last year, I purposefully put the two clinicals I would like at the beginning of the year, followed by my off-clinical (10 week break), then my favorite clinical (16 weeks with the Milwaukee Brewers). Well, I finished the first two clinicals in mid December. I only have a week left of my break, and on March 6th, I start with the Milwaukee Brewers. On March 5th, I will work my last shift in a restaurant. It will be the first time in almost 8 years that I will not be working in a restaurant, no longer be working while going to school. My transition into my career has started, and I can feel it. I no longer really feel like the little student that is fighting for grades and trying to stay sane through my busy schedule, balancing wife, school, work, sleep, and trying to relax. I no longer feel like that intern that is at the bottom of the todem pole, wide-eyed and in awe of all I see, with a distant hope of one day maybe being considered for a position in MLB. Now all of that work, all those years of school, and the countless volunteer hours I spent, are starting to come together. I feel a better sense of who I am and what I have under my belt. I don't mean at all to sound cocky because every opportunity I've gotten and everything I've been able to accomplish has been an undeserved opportunity given to me by God, for which I can't be more thankful. But from all of these things I have a sense of pride in what I have done and how I've made the most out of all those situations to get me to where I am now. I've worked extremely hard and have been very strategic in forming my resume to look like it does, and now I'm very proud of what I've accomplished and I'm excited to see what God will make of it now and what offers will come my way when I graduate. It's like an automaker that first makes all of the individual parts, then puts them together until the parts are in place and it's time to see the car run. I've made the majority of the parts, and I'm putting enough of them together that I can now see the what the car looks like. I'm just waiting for the last few pieces to fit into place before I can turn the key and set it into motion. These last few months especially have been really exciting. Within the last couple months, I've now made great contacts with medical professionals from two more major league baseball teams, and have been asked for an interview when I graduate with one of them. I've received an informal job offer from one great clinic in town that I've been involved with before, and what's even more exciting about that is that the owner of this clinic knows my future goals and dreams and wants to work with me until I get there and to help me get there. Each of these offers and meetings are so exciting because they each have their own unique stories that could only have been weaved together by God. I'm beginning to see pieces coming together and people come into my life that can help me achieve my dreams - people that I could never have gotten a hold of by myself. Seeing God working and knowing that He is doing something puts me at ease and makes my last few months of school very enjoyable because now I get to just do my work, finish what I've started, and see what else happens. I know that the other details are being taken care of.

So as the clock continues to wind down and these new opportunities continue to creep closer, I just continue on, being thankful for all that I have and all that has been given to me, excited to see each new day and what it brings.