The end of the begining is done...

Finally, after 28 hard months, we have completed graduate school. I say "we" very intentionally.  Without the support and love of Tracy and the girls, I would not have been successful at this task.

 

It's time to begin the journey of proper credentialing in TX, allowing me the power of the pen and the associated responsibilities.  Over the next few months, I need to wait for my official transcript from the University of Texas at Arlington and then seek approval or recognition from the American Nursing Credentialing Center, Texas Board of Nursing, Texas Medical Board, Texas Department of Public Safety, Drug Enforcement Agency, and the hiring hospital's Medical Executive Committee. (side note... can you tell Texas is one of the most regulated states in the country?)  I can't express the stress relief we have at the moment as a family, but the spirit felt in this video is how I felt after my last clinical day this fall:

Christmas and Childhood Innocence

Translation: Dear Santa. I am Claire Gruman. I am 5 years old. I was happy to meet you.  I would like that Carly, my friend, be well for Christmas, ballet shoes also please. My sister wants zhuzhu pets. My mom wants a sweater. My dad wants the book Unbroken. Thank you. Claire

On the way home from school today, Claire proceeded to tell us that mommies have babies that come out of their bellies. Those babies become mommies. Then, when the mommy decides she wants to have a husband, the mommy can just make a husband in her tummy and when it comes out they can just be together.

Logic?

Carly's Angels

Carly Trejo, a classmate of Claire's, was recently diagnosed with a stage IV Wilms tumor (a type of kidney cancer). She is undergoing intense cancer treatment as well as removal of one of her kidneys. As part of a fund raising project, parents of Spanish Schoolhouse students have created a non-profit organization to help the Trejo family with mounting medical bills. As a family, we joined in on this event and had a great morning. Please take a moment to go to http://www.carlysangels.myevent.com/3/donate.htm and make a donation to help ease the financial burden felt by this family. The fun run is done, but it's not too late to contribute on Claire's behalf to the Trejo family. Thank you and enjoy the slideshow.

Fun With Friends

Summer has been a blast. Evie and Claire have become good friends with Amalia and Laila. Evie and Ama were together in the first daycare center that we used in TX and, coincidently, met up again at their newest school.  Sadly, they will not be joining the girls this year at school because of reasons outside of the family control.

It was a hot, humid, wet day, so the girls all enjoyed a day playing at a local indoor playground.  Claire's favorite... driving the ice cream truck.  It looks like everyone had a great time.

Old chatter

This was created last April. It's great to see both Evie and Claire expand their Spanish vocabulary and language structure.

Returning to the farm.

The girls were able to return to the farm today to learn a little about dairy products. Accompanying them was their good friends Allie and Shari. Cheese was on hand to be smelled and touched while butter was being made and served with crackers inside the old farm house. They tried their hand at milking a wooden cow and also were able to milk a goat. Poor goat :}

At the farm

The girls took a little trip to the local public farm while enjoying the summer off. They had fun with the staff at the farm playing with Jacob's ladder, a top, and petting a chicken. Claire was super excited to tell me all about how she was able to pet the chicken. The priceless moment... when I asked if they had any chicken to eat.  Her reply was a very emphatic, "It wasn't a dead chicken".  Silly me.

Spring Concert Series

Sorry for the hand shake, but these were recorded with my camera held up above my head. Claire and Evie had such a great time at this concert. It's fun to watch Claire light up as she spots us in the crowd.

Spring is near... at least in TX

Claire and Evie have been busy in school, and we're starting to see quite an evolution in Claire's pictures.