College degree = baby

Ryker was born October 2006, and two months later Paul defended his master's thesis, earning his Masters of science degree.  If you know anything about graduate school, first the classes are rigorous, and secondly a thesis is a lot of work.  Doing this, in itself, is a huge deal.  Add in a wife AND a newborn baby while in the midst of it all = pure chaos.

But my Mr. went a step above on the overachiever list.  Wife, newborn, working to support us all AND he blazed through his Masters degree at world record speed, finishing what is normally at least a 2 year program in just 1 year.  Despite his busy schedule demands including working, studying, and writing his thesis...he rocked fatherhood and never missed out spending time with his favorite priorities = us.  Precious moments of thesis writing paired with a one week old newborn to snuggle, always makes homework time less dreary.

*****
In August 2009 I finished nursing school while growing baby #2.  Yes, I had to rock converse shoes my last week of clinicals because they were the only shoes my swollen feet could fit into (not exactly dress code, but you gotta do what you gotta do)

 At graduation I walked up to get my nursing pin with 6 day old Kip snug in a sling next to me.

I studied for my boards while snuggling this new little man, practicing those recommended 1,000 NCLEX questions to prepare.  Despite a sleepless night prior to the big NCLEX exam, I passed and was officially Kristina Loprinzi, RN less than a month after Kip's birth.  This same year I forced myself to complete school at OHSU, earning my BSN degree the same month Kip turned 1.  What a whirlwind year.

Paul was also in grad school during 2009, he was busy working full time, taking courses towards his PhD, being an amazing husband/daddy as well.  We sure have perfected the art of multitasking - study with a baby snuggled in your lap.

Most PhD students take at least 4 years to obtain the degree, some even need to go on and complete post-doctoral training to better prepare themselves for work as a PhD.  But my Mr., again was a HUGE exception.  He blazed right through.  In usual Paul fashion, he finished his PhD one full year earlier than usual.  I've never met a more motivated, hardworking person, ever.  He even managed to do this all while we added to our family.  Jovie was just 2 weeks old when she went with me to attend Paul's dissertation defense for his PhD in exercise physiology March 2011.  Later that year he accepted a job offer at Bellarmine, and so we moved across the US, away from family when Jovie was just 5 months old.

*****

and...

we will welcome Loprinzi #4 a few weeks before I graduate with my masters of science in nursing degree and take my exam to be an APRN (which also happens to fall days within my 29th birthday - the ultimate birthday gift)...and then there is a high possibly our family will be moving to another state (to be determined still - but I am certain we will end up exactly where we are meant to be…and if that place happens to be Oregon well that would be SUCH a blessing).

Apparently the only way the Loprinzi family rolls is to take on every possible HUGE life change that can happen, and bundle it up into a package deal!

Yes, summer 2014, it will be life changing, and good.  Regardless of where Paul's job will take us next, I know it will be perfect...because I always have him, and our little sidekicks by my side :).