COURTNEY'S GRADUATION!!

A real nurse?

This was quite an eyeopener for me. I had not seen Courtney in this uniform until we got to graduation and that was my response. "She looks like a real nurse!"

Of course I had seen her in the scrubs they wore for clinical. But this was different. My mom saw Courtney in her scrubs once and said she looked like a kid playing dress up. (And she was right)

I guess that needs some explanation. Courtney is 4'11" tall. (or should I say short). Not very big, huh. Jay'von weighed almost 9 pounds and Courtney gained a lot while she was carrying him. When she started nursing school last June she decided she was going to try to take off the extra pounds while she was in school. I would show you a before and after picture but she would kill me. They ordered their scrubs in April and she needed an extra large. By the time they finished she needed an extra small. I took them in but she kept losing and you can only do that so many times. I think she has lost around 90 pounds and looks great, but being so short she does look like a little kid. And with the scrubs being kind of big she did look "like a kid playing dress up".

Now, back to the subject. The graduation was beautiful and meaningful. I don't think I had ever read the nursing pledge. It is quite a vow. One of their teachers spoke about what they have done in the last year and how much of it is hands on. That makes it possible for them to go right into working without a problem. They are ready. I finally realized, the show is over, she is a REAL nurse. We are not talking about it anymore. She is not a nursing student. She is a nurse and needs respected as such.

I also respect her for getting through a very difficult year to get to this place in her life. Courtney made up her mind that she was going to do this and she did. She lived with us until March of this year so we could help with the baby while she studied. But in March an apartment came available in Clarksburg and she decided to try it on her own since it was close to school. I've already written about how difficult that was for us, but have to admit now it was a good decision. She came up with a routine that worked for her and her little man and she succeeded. She actually graduated with a very good average and we are proud of her accomplishment.

Courtney has not been able to get a job yet. She is scheduled for a hernia repair on Monday, July 6, (I told you Jay'v was big) so she will not be able to work until late summer. But she has started applying and I'm sure she will get the job that is right for her.

Congratulations, Courtney! You have done well and we are hoping the best for your future.