I PASSED!

Hello all, I am happy to announce I PASSED my boards. It was a long journey but I am officially Kristen Ann Kay Dekok RN. I studied everyday for 8 hours a day for the past month and a half and many of you know I have been very grouchy about that being that I am in Europe and I was still tied down. But the hard work paid off. Literally! It was $75 to Ohio, $200 to get a Authorization to Test Letter, and another $200 to take the test $50 to make the phone call to schedule the test, $200 for the hotel to stay in before the test, $10 to park while I took the test, you get the picture, I was figuring I would have to hold my tax returns back just to take the test again. I got there early Saturday, Dyllon and I scoped out where the building was, which is a good thing because it was above a Japanese resturant and at first I was like what the heck!!! I swear this is the address, it was, it was just above the restaurant, then we scoped out all the possible parking spots near the facility, so I thought we had it covered, Sunday we spent all day exploring Frankfurt, I will have pictures to post soon on facebook, those of you who don't have facebook, hit up a family member to see the pictures. Sunday night, I was relaxing watching T.V. with Dyllon but I still couldn't stop thinking about the test, if anyone knows me they know I am a extremely anxious and nervous person, my heart was racing, I was holding back the puke (did good all day), running to the bathroom every 5 mins. and then I broke out in hives on my legs and stomach. But I stayed strong and refused to take my Xanax. Dyllon being the awesome husband he is rubbed my back and calmed me down. Then went to bed, couldn't sleep all night, not because I wasn't tired because I was, no we picked a hotel right in front of a freaking train track no joke, I swear a train went by every 5 mins. but it didn't bother someone else because they were snoring logs! So I got up at 6:30 am even though I didn't plan on getting up till 7:30, got ready, ate breakfast, and realized it was a hour before I needed to leave, so that just lead up for more time to be nervous, left at 10:00 am for my 11:30 appointment, got to the testing center at 10:25, mind you it is only 2 miles away, that is how backed up traffic was, went all around all blocks around the building NO PARKING! Seriously!?!? Fine, I decided it was 10 mins. till 11:00 and I needed to find something because you are suppose to check in 20 mins. early, so I went to the nearest parking garage, 3 blocks from the testing center, and now decided there was only one way to make it there in time, I had to run. Well my past anatomy and physiology teacher was right, if you want to get rid of nervous energy EXERCISE before the test, because when I walked in I felt ready to take on the world, BRING IT ON! I went up to the building and the door is locked, WHAT, what is going on? Oh I have to call up to Pearson Vue, they have to look at me with a camera then let me in, okay, next I go to the 4th floor, try to open the door again, no go, they have to verify me again, open the door, walk in to hand in my paperwork, now they need to scan my finger and palm to make sure I am who I say I am, CRAZY, but someone has mastered cheating or they wouldn't do this. Anyways, sit for my test and the first question that comes up is a rhythm strip, really!?!? I decided I was going to be okay, just make the best guess possible, question after question seemed impossible, I felt as though I had never even taken nursing school, I kept telling myself calm down 15 of these questions are Guinea Pig questions anyways for future tests, finally I get to question 75, oh please, I prayed, don't let the test end here, I know if it does I failed, just give me a chance I promise I know SOMETHING. I submit the answer, and it says processing test, WHAT!?!? are you kidding? I walked out, disoriented and upset, I thought the whole way home, I didn't even get a chance. I am so glad you find out so soon, because I tell you what, it has been driving me crazy and I have never hit a refresh button so much in my life. I am befuddled that I passed and I am pretty sure that the NCLEX is a form of hazing because that by far was worse than any of Eric Mason's tests (awesome instructor who gives VERY hard tests). I will tell you though Nursing School was the hardest thing I have ever went through, it was a love hate relationship the whole way through, the NCLEX was icing on the cake, but passing was the experience of eating the whole cake by myself. I don't even care if this sounds conceded I am so proud of myself, there were so many times I didn't think I could go on anymore, but I made it and now I am ready to pursue my dreams as a Air Force RN, so I am hear to announce the Air Force is now excepting RN's with a Associate's as a Officer, they are giving medical waivers and if I can make it in the H2 hearing block and I finish a few extra college courses I will be accepted. THIS IS THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!!
Love you ALL
XOXOXOXOX
Kristen Ann Kay Dekok RN!!!!

Study, Study, Study

Hello all, how are you? We are doing great, I have been studying everyday, Dyllon has been telling me everyday that I am overstudying, that he wants to have people over, and that we never go anywhere, I swear I have a little boy, just kidding, Dyllon is working on being a little more patient :) Speaking of Dyllon, he is almost 22 now!!!! I am so excited for his birthday, I cannot wait to get him his birthday gift, that is my favorite part! Hopefully by that time I will have job, because it just isn't quite the same buying a gift for Dyllon with Dyllon's money. Anyways, other than that not much going on, Dyllon is still waiting for his Guitar Hero Band Kit, he is not very happy it is taking so long, but on the up side Final Fantasy 13 should be here soon, so that should make him happy until the Guitar Hero gets here. Everything still sits waiting to be hung up, can not wait till I am done with studying, the downstairs is pretty much done (this is where everyone can see), just waiting on my awesome mom to send me the curtains I ordered, and for Dyllio to put up the curtain bar for me (I may have to be a little pro-active on this one). Anyways, as soon as I get the house together I will post pics. The main reason for this email was to remind everyone that Dyllon's birthday is just around the corner, if you need any ideas on what to get him shoot me a private message, either e-mail or via FB and I will give you ideas! Keep in mind depending on what you get it can take up to 6 weeks to get here. I can wrap the gifts if you want to buy them online and have them shipped here, I found it is cheaper in shipping cost this way, if they ship APO. Hoping to give him a really nice birthday since last year he was at basic and couldn't enjoy the 21st. Also, it is almost his 1 year mark! YEA!!! I am so proud of him, he is a very intellegent and sweet man, and although I pick at him sometimes I have no clue what I would do without him. I am a VERY lucky girl.
XOXOXO to everyone!
Kristen

Long time no chat!

This blog has been a long time coming, I know I haven't updated everyone in a while so here it goes. First and foremost, thanks to Grandma Parcell and Besty for the letters and coupons, I appreciate it. Next, we have been busy getting the house in order, everything is "unpacked" but that doesn't mean it has a home yet, waiting on a rubbermaid closet kit from the states because our closet pole fell down after I put it into the wall. I am almost positive it isn't the weight it is the installer! That is why Chris needs to make it here soon to hang everything up! I have everything in front of each of the walls where I want it hung but I am basically scared to hang it because I have had a 50% success rate so far. I know this is going to sound ridiculous but the things I miss the most from the states is WAL MART and KOHLS, they both ship here but still not the same, I have to wait over a month to get what I want. We have everything we need for the house for the most part, still trying to get little things here and there, the big things we have left to get are two beds, and nightstands, and potentially a futon (this item isn't dire). I figure that will allow for plenty of room when we have guests over. Germany is VERY strict on drinking and driving and pretty much everyone obeys that here, so a lot of people have at least 1 guest room for friends when they come over. Still studying my heart out for the NCLEX, slowing down though because I feel my brain cannot handle much more, some fellow nursing students say I am overstudying, so I am trying to make myself stop studying so much without feeling guilty, overstudying has always been bad for me in the past, the more information you know the more over anylazing that you do. Worked at the Landstuhl Fischer house again today, I wish Germans would figure out what a fitted sheet is. I know when you grow up using a flat sheet as a fitted sheet it probably isn't hard to pull them tight so there are not any wrinkles in it and do basically reverse hospital corners, but it seems impossible for Dyllon and I, it takes us a good 20 mins to do just that part on the bed making I swear. Other than that all went good today, missed Inga :( She was off. You really haven't missed much I am pretty sure I covered everything in this letter, but if you think of any questions let me know. Oh and note to everyone, just a reminder that sending it to our APO address is like sending it to NY, so it doesn't cost you a arm and a leg it costs the same as sending it to NY, so to save you money, don't send it to our house. It is ultimately your choice obviously, I just want everyone to be aware of the bascially 50% cost difference. Lastly, we are spending Easter with our neighbors, I can not say enough how truly blessed we are to have such great people living near us when we are so far from home. Somehow (I am sure my computer virus) someone got a hold of my credit card number and was doing fradualent charges and they let me use thier phone to take care of it, we still do not have a landline or internet because I gues Vodaphone is seeing if they can provide service out here and I guess that takes 3 months to do, you would think you either can or cannot but whatever, we find out Monday what is going on there. Once we get this we will be able to call back to the states :) I can not express to you though just how amazing our neighbors are, God has truly blessed us! I have never had neighbors like them before, but they truly are like family to me already. Well I love you all, have a great Easter we will miss all of you very much! XOXOXOXO Kristen