I am BLESSED beyond belief!!!

Almost 6 years ago, August 2004, I married the love of my life and moved an hour away from my family. 5 months later, January 2005, we moved 5 hours away from our family. Starting from nothing. I knew no one. I didn't have a job to go to, to meet people so for 3 months day in and day out it was William and I. Then I got a job at Arvest, March 2005, I worked there for 8 months. Started back to College, Fall 2005, and started doing a paper route in March 2006.

In the first year that I was here, I met some very amazing people! People who have put up with my too young to know anything DRAMA. People who I know are truly my friends because they are able to tell me the truth when it hurts.

December 2006 we bought our first house, and became homeowners! It was a very exciting day that turned into a nightmare because the day before my car died and needed a new motor, so after buying our first home we had to go purchase a car so that I could do my paper route.

I applied for nursing school in the spring 2007 and was declined. I was ok, I knew I wasn't finished with all my classes. Fall 2007, our lives changed for the better as we took FPU. We learned how debt is not cool! After 2 years of doing a paper route, August 2007, I quit it and started working at the school I went too so I could take classes in the mornings that I needed for nursing school. While I worked at the school I met some very wonderful people who had faith in me when I didn't have faith in myself and encouraged me in all that I was doing.

January 2008, I was saved and baptized. Spring 2008 rolled around and I applied for nursing school again. I did not get into the fast track(15 months), but a month later found out that I did get accepted into the traditional track(22 months). I was happy and sad at the same time because this was not the plan that I had, little did I know God's plan was bigger than mine! I began nursing school, August 2008. I knew no one in my class. Quickly we became a family! So many Godly women, who encouraged me along the road we were all on together. November 2008, we were told that we would be leaving our connection group, that we had been with since we moved here, to lead a different group full of people whom we didn't know very well or at all. We were welcomed, and have become a small family! I have met some very kind people who really care about me and how I am doing.

March 2009, somehow I had enough courage and self confidence to volunteer to be the Vice President of SNA. Summer 2009, I worked at the school I went to for the summer in the same department I had worked in before nursing school.

Spring 2010, I graduated from nursing school! Finally, a RN! June 2010, I accepted a position with a local clinic to be a Dialysis Nurse.

Over the last 2 years, life has been busy, nursing school was hard. But, I was overwhelmed by the excitement that my friends had for me!

All of this because God's plan is bigger than my own! I never would have dreamed that I would have gotten married at 19 and moved from my family, or be a RN at 24. This being said, this journey hasn't been a piece of cake. My life isn't filled with a cherry on top everyday. I have a past that has scared my life forever, but those things do not define the person I am. They allow me to be able to help others who have been through the same things. When I moved here, my self esteem wasn't very good. It is better now than then, but it could still use a lot of work! I believe God lead us here to lead me to my goal of being a nurse so that I could carry out the work for his kingdom, because let me just be honest. I was going no where fast in West Memphis, my first year out of high school I worked full time and took 2 classes. At that rate, I may have gotten my degree by the time I was 30!

I have many wonderful friends who encourage me, love me for who I am, push me when I need to be pushed, help me in my struggles, accept my flaws and have taught me what it means to be a friend! Several of my closest friends have moved away or have never lived here at all, but they have left a big impact on my life and hold a spot in my heart!

All of this came from me getting this sweet little charm for my Pandora bracelet in the mail yesterday from one of my sweet friends!:)