Hi Everyone!
I'm a 40 something year old wife and stay-at-home mom to 2 amazing kids. Our daughter is 7.5 years old and our son will be 4 tomorrow.
I decided to write this BLOG as a way to express my feelings and for a way to vent.
See - my husband of almost 8 years (we've been together for almost 13 years) is now a full-time student. Four months ago my husband started Physician's Assistant School. Prior to that he was a firefighter/paramedic and owned his own company on the side. If you didn't know this - almost all firefighters have a 2nd job. I was use to him working a 24 hour shift at the fire station and then when he was not at the station working he was doing his other job M-F on his off days. Well now he is living 2.5 hours away from me and the kids.
Let me start back from the beginning:
When I met my husband he was going to school to be a CPA. He graduated from college with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree back in 1996. In 2001 my husband decided that he didn't want to do that anymore so he applied to a local County for a firefighter position and he got it. Over the next couple of years he went to EMT School and then right into Paramedic School. He never skipped a beat. While he was going to Paramedic School he worked for one of the local hospitals as an ER Tech. He loved the job but didn't really care for the hours but I really think that's where his passion began.
He loved his job at the fire department (minus all of the politics) but he wanted something more. For the last several years he spoke about what it would take to get into PA School. He did lots of research and spoke to several PA's. With him being a Paramedic and working at the hospital he got to know several PA's and they all gave him great advice. He figured out what classes he would have to take in order to get accepted into some of the PA Programs. Over the course of 2 years he took the classes that he needed.
My husband worked 2 full-time jobs and went to school. My husband is amazing. He is not only a wonderful husband and provider - he is also an awesome dad!
While my husband was finishing up his last couple of classes he applied to one of the schools in the state that we live in (I might disclose that all at a later date). I don't remember all of the details but he got his application in on-time and then a month or so later he got a call for an interview. We were both so excited. His interview was scheduled for December 12, 2007. He was told be be prepared to be there all day.
The night before his interview he drove to the town that the school was in and stayed in a motel across the street. I don't think I told him this but I did not sleep the entire night. I tossed and turned. I was so nervous for him. Not because I didn't think that he would do well - just because we did not know what to expect. The morning of his interview I spoke to him and told him good luck.
The morning of the interview I paced the floor. I wish that I could have been a fly on the wall. I just wanted to be there by his side. It was a long wait for the phone call.
Once he finally called I asked him about the interview. He said that it went pretty good. He interviewed with alot of different people. From the way he was talking - it sounded to me like he didn't get accepted which was really not a big deal since it was his first interview. To make a long story short and after about 15 minutes of talking to him on the telephone he told me that one of the last guys that he interviewed with said "Welcome to _________". I could not believe my ears. I could not believe that my husband told me all of those stories and I was thinking that he did not get accepted. HAHA!!! I guess you would have had to of heard the conversation to understand.
Te next five months went very fast in my opinion. First - we could not tell anyone. We didn't not want the word to get out at the fire department before my husband was ready to give his notice. He needed that job to carry him to the very end. It was hard not telling anyone. Plus - we had alot of planning to do.
We had to figure out finances, decide where he was going to live, figure out how much money everything was going to cost, etc.....
Things were starting to change!
Before my husband left for school he sold his work truck (a 2500 crew cab truck). We ended up buying a very nice Volvo. I drive a Tahoe so my husband used it the last month that he was home to work out of. My husbands 2nd job required him to pull a work trailer so luckily my vehicle was able to get the job done.
Two weekends before my husbands classes started we took our family travel trailer to a very nice RV site in the city where he would be attending school. That is what my husband is living in - our camper. I know that has got to be very hard. Here me and the kids are living in this very nice house on almost 3 acres of land and he's living in a camper. It breaks my heart but...it's only temporary.
I will never forget the day that he left to go to school. I dreaded that day for so long. I was nervous for him but I was nervous for me and the kids too. Before when he wasn't home and was at the fire department - he was only 20 minutes away. Now he was going to be close to 3 hours away and just the thought of him not being home breaks my heart. The afternoon when he left was so hard. Let's just say that him pulling out of the driveway was so hard. It still is and he's been doing this since May. I still get emotional.
That first week was so hard. My daughter was finishing up the last couple of weeks of 1st grade and I was trying to keep both kids busy so that they would not miss daddy. My little one wanted me to call him all of the time and he even got my keys one day and told me to take him to daddy. WHEW...that was hard.
One weekend my husband was not able to come home (he has been home every weekend but 2 since he started to school) so me and the kids went to him. I really didn't think that it would be a big deal since we were going to "our" camper but it was a huge deal. I felt like I was in a very strange place. Nothing about the camper felt familiar. I actually hated being there. To top it off - my husband had to spend Saturday morning at the school which meant I had to keep the kids entertained. I really just wanted to go home and take my husband with me. When Sunday morning came - I was pretty emotional...I wanted to go home. It was a very long drive back. I hated leaving my husband but I did not like where I was. I can say that the last time I went there it was better but it's still not the same.
Things haven't gotten any better but they are getting easier. When my husband comes home he spends more time with me and the kids and not all of his time studying. We also don't talk about school as much when he is home like we did in the beginning which really makes things easier for me. We try to spend as much quality time together as we can. That's another hard part....there is so little time when he comes home and there is so much to do..... Sorry honey!!! I try to do it all but sometimes I just can't!
I am looking forward to the day when he graduates. He is in the Class of 2010. Hopefully this time next year he will be back home doing his rotations and some of the area hospitals or doctors offices. He has the opportunity to do some mission work and possibly go to some other cities where we have friends and relatives. I think that will be a great opportunity for him - going to other cities if it works out. Who knows - he may even like some of the other places and decide to move the whole family there when he gets out.
My husband showed me a shirt that is class is selling and I thought that it was perfect so I decided to share if with everyone! The front of it in the left upper corner says " I <3 my PA". The back of it reads: Top 10 Reasons you know your loved one is in PA School:
10. They dress much nicer now.
9. They always want to take your blood pressure...with their sphygmomanometer.
8. When they say they can't come out because they have to study-they're actually telling the truth!
7. They're your medical expert, and you're their guinea pig.
6. It takes a week for them to return a phone call.
5. They're comfortable around dead people (cadavers).
4. They're not getting paid for their 8 to 5.
3. They correct you in the terminology for any medical condition you've ever had.
2. They can't decide what's better: a home-cooked meal or sleep.
1. They'll be part of your life again in 2 years!
I am so proud of my husband. I'm sure it's just as hard for him as it is for me and the kids. I just have to keep being strong and be there for him when he needs me. We miss you honey. Me and the kids look forward to seeing you every Friday when you get to come home :-) We love you!!!!
I'm going to try to update this as I think of things: Please check back occassionaly - you never know what I might put on here!
