good news

So I graduated from nursing school during my first trimester and after about a month took the NCLEX. I did try to prepare, but I was very distracted. The test was hard. About 1/2 the questions I was asked weren't even multiple choice, but "select all that apply" out of 5 options- even the subjects I knew well were hard to feel confident with all the options. I was asked the minimum of 75 questions, so I figured I must have passed, because there was no way I failed that bad...but I did. I went through the stages of grief and for about a month was convinced I would not attempt it again. I eventually realized that wouldn't be the best choice so I re-registered, but didn't want to think about it over the holidays etc. I finally decided to wait until 2 weeks before the twins are coming to try and take the test again.

My view the past couple weeks:

I studied a little more this time. I planned for a solid week to not cook, not do baby projects, or clean house. The funny thing is that this time I was 2 weeks out from having twins- my pregnancy brain barely allows me to recall the word for "vacume" when I want the thing that cleans the floor. On top of this I was in the midst of a terrible sinus infection- an infection that gave me throbbing pain in my head, teeth and jaw when moving from sitting to standing, spread to my eye making me look like I'd been slugged when I woke up, and also only allowed me a total of about 4 hrs sleep combined for the 2 nights before the test. Not a perfect situation, I tried to change the appointment date, but it was the last time I could take it before the babies come.
The test seemed way easier than the first time I took it, I probably only got 5 questions of "select all that apply". I thought I'd at least be borderline this time and would get the total 265 questions, but a little after an hour into it I was again kicked out at 75 questions. I was a little mad, there was no way I passed when the exam was so much easier. To heck with it I decided. I'm having babies now, I'm over this. Even though I know I've done harder things and know I'm not a stupid person, for some reason the NCLEX had eluded me.
Last night my sister called me to find out the "official" news. I'd forgotten to even check, so I skeptically got online and was shocked to find Katie Lewis Hagen as a registered nurse in Holladay, UT. I wasn't expecting it at all, but it was such a nice surprise and I feel like something heavy was lifted off my shoulders. Its so great to have out of the way before I enter this next stage of life, I feel pretty blessed. It was so fun to finally tell my family that good news after all their support through my nursing journey. Brad and I made it out to celebrate late last night with some delicious chocolate dessert:

Our girls will be here so soon, and I feel like there is so much I want to get done before they arrive- I'm so glad I can go back to focusing on more important things.