FNP

I was busy this past week.  Cramming like crazy for the AANP certification exam.  You know, the huge one that lets me get my APRN license so I can work as a nurse practitioner.  Paul was so amazing taking on solo daddy duty to give me time to prepare.

Hartley went to bed at 11pm the night before my exam.  She woke at 4am to nurse, and I had to be at my testing site at 7:30am (which was an 1hr and 20 minutes away), so I just got up for the day after nursing her.  So a little less than 5 hours of sleep.  I was tired, but nothing a bit of coffee and prayer couldn't fix.

I checked in, and was so overwhelmingly nervous.

 I breezed through the first 45 questions, and was feeling super confident.  Then it all got so, so tough.  By question 80 I was ready to have a mini-meltdown.  So I took a bathroom break, walked around the lobby of the testing room for 5 minutes to regain my focus, and inhaled some peppermint essential oil and rubbed a bit on my wrists (which got me some crazy stares).

I walked back into the exam room ready to conquer those last 70 questions.  My heart rate increased at question 140.  I just was so anxious to get to that magical last question - 150.  I really had to take deep breaths, and re-read almost every single one of those last 10 questions several times.  I've never experienced anxiety like that before.  Finally I got to the last one.  I answered question 150.  Then of course it prompts you to do a quick survey about the testing center…of which I didn't even read, just selected C for every answer.  Then there was about a 2 minute delay, which felt like 20, and my hear rate was probably in the upper hundreds at this time until finally the blank screen popped up the results.

PASS!

I cried, raised my hand (so I could leave the testing room, that is what was protocol).  The sweet testing lady said "congrats," while handing my unofficial results.  I did a jumping heel click, with that paper that said PASS in hand and headed my way out to the car.  I called my Mr. and then my mama…then texted all the amazing people who supported me in one way or another throughout this long, tiring, challenging journey.

We did it.  I say we, because there is absolutely no way possible I could have done this without the help from everyone on my side.

So thankful to close this chapter in my book, and move forward to life after grad school, which looks a lot like snuggling on a couch with my Mr. and our littlest Loprinzi watching a movie.

Up next - applying for my license and officially begin working on 9/29.

Until then, I'm soaking up the next week with nothing on my calendar except things that involve motherhood.  My favorite.