Friday, May 27, 2011

Oh the things you see in Portland...

     Since Race is gone I wanted a little get-a-way myself so time would go faster and I could focus on something else besides Race not being with me. My brother Levi and sister-in-law Christine and Ezra live in Portland and I hadn't had the chance to visit them yet, so I took the opportunity and flew up there. I had heard Portland was beautiful and Levi loves it up there so I was really excited to go. 
    Christine and Ezra meet me at the airport and then we rode the MAX train back to their place. We had to walk on a little trail to get back to the house and on the way Christine found a baggy with Meth in it... yes meth so her being the person she is picks it to make sure it doesn't get into the wrong hands and took it home and flushed it down the toilet. Yep that was my first experience of Portland. So anyway Levi got home and we headed up to some beautiful waterfalls. I loved them and to make the little trip better on the way up I got a call from Race! It was a huge surprise because they were told they weren't going to have any communication but I'm so grateful I actually got to hear his voice and have a conversation with him, it totally made my day.
Over looking the Columbia River



     After that Levi had to go back to work so me Christine and Ezra heading out to explore Portland. We had a fun time and it is seriously so beautiful up there everything is so green and there are so many trees and beautiful things! 
     On Saturday we headed to the Saturday market, I think this market along with riding public transportation is were I got a taste of the people of Portland. There is some dang good people watching in Portland, everyone is so different and EVERYTHING is accepted there. You see things in Portland you would never see in Utah or a lot of other places, it is so diverse it makes it very entertaining. If you love people watching go hang out in Portland... 
Here's a juggler with very short shorts




I wish I could have gotten a better pic of this guy but he was an angry person

     The next day we took a trip to the coast. I'm so glad I got to go. The drive there was even gorgeous. The first place we went was Astoria, this is where the Goonies was filmed so it was pretty cool.
In Astoria, pretty sure this bridge is in the movie.

 After that we headed to a beach and had a BBQ and hung out. it was so peaceful. It was chilly but it didn't rain thank goodness, I love the beach it is one of my most favorite places in the world. Then on the drive back we stopped at another beach that was amazing and had those huge rocks. 
Hanging out at Seaside Beach

Ezra LOVED the sand and the beach


Canon Beach

    My last day there we hung out and saw a few more places. We went and rode on the Arial tram and saw some amazing views. and we also went to the famous Voodoo doughnuts... I didn't get the bacon maple bar, but I did have a bite of Levi's. 
The view from the Arial tram

Voodoo doughnuts

    That's the short version of the trip, I wish I could write about every funny thing I saw and all the experiences I had, but that would take forever! I loved spending time with my family though. Levi and Christine were so dang nice to me and Ezra is so cute and so much fun! He laughs ALL the time, most of the time at absolutely nothing. And the best part about being an aunt and having good timing was Ezra started walking when I was there! It was so cute and now he is walking all around! I'm one lucky auntie that's for sure! 


Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Graduation

It finally arrived! I really can't believe that school is over for me... well basically over, I'm doing the online bachelor's program that is 2 semesters and a senior project, but i'm done with the stress of hygiene school! Don't get me wrong, there we some great times, mostly because of the great friends I made while in the program and getting through the stress with them. I really am going to miss the girls!











For graduation we had a pinning ceremony with our program where we are pinned a registered dental hygienist and welcomed into the professional field. It was so nice and our class has huge support from families and friends and it was great to hear from some of our instructors that have taught us so much. Then the next day was graduation with the college. It was pretty cool because the commencement ceremony with the entire college featured Pres. Monson as the speaker. He is so amazing and basically his talk can be summed up like this: Have a good attitude, do service, and have integrity. I believe this can be applied to every single person no matter where there are in their lives. His talked was ended in the name of Jesus Christ Amen and then the entire arena erupted into a standing ovation! it was sweet because sometimes thats what you want to do after an amazing talk or performance in church and we actually got to do it and it was totally appropriate. Anyway that sums up the exciting parts about graduation. and now for me it's off to job hunting since I received my degree. And since Race received his associates degree it was an easy transfer to the U and now he can continue on with his education and somehow survive this next fall semester of 18 very hard credits. And just a side note we have a picture of us together on high school graduation day as best friends and now here's the pic of college graduation as husband and wife :) 
Race and me all graduated in My Photos by
Best Friends High School Graduation 2007



Husband & Wife Dixie College Graduation 2011

Sunday, May 15, 2011

And life can go on!

     So here goes the rest of my experience with the dreaded boards... I had already written about the national written boards but I still had 4 more to go after this one. I took a process of care test that was on a computer and it was new this year and we had no idea what to expect, so I kinda went into it blind without studying much. It was a very subjective test, so I wasn't sure how to feel about it, but at least I was done with it.
      Then came the biggest scariest test... Clinical and anesthesia. So the first day was anesthesia this was the last written test I had so I had been studying alot for it. We took it in the morning and found out the results right after. We had to pass the written part in order to take the clinical anesthesia that afternoon. The examiners just put all the envelopes on a table that has our ID number on it. So you have to search the table and then open it, it was very  nerve racking to do, but I passed! Then I took the clinical part of anesthesia that afternoon. Lucky Race got to be my patient, poor guy he has gotten so many shots in his mouth only for the purpose of helping me with my education. We had to give two injections with the examiners watching and breathing down our necks. I gave the two shots, the examiners left and then came back and told me to excuse my patient, which is great news because if you didn't do it right they have you do it again. So I let Race go and luckily he was still just waiting for me. The examiners came back and asked me to bring back my patient because they had a miscommunication. So I gave one more shot, which was fine because you get two chances anyway. Well then I waited around and I got my results, and it was the coveted purple success memo card, I passed! I'm so glad I didn't have to do it again, it is extremely nerve racking and I was much more shaking then I would normally be. So that day was a success and I was very happy :)
     The next day was the clinical or practicals, I had to find my own patient with very specific requirements, it was a lot of stress and it was hard to come by the perfect board patient. I found one that was going to be really hard, but it was all I had. Our patients have to have teeth with a lot of tarter, so it is tough to get off. As I walked my patient back so we could get started he said he could feel the stress in the clinic... yes it was very stressful. I submitted my patient to the examiners that are behind a curtain so it is anonymous, this part of the test is critical, the examiners check and make sure your patient really does meet the requirements and if they don't you have two more chances to either re-submit the same patient with different teeth or use a back-up patient, which I didn't have. If you don't pass submission you fail and don't even get a chance to clean your patients teeth and show your skills. So anyway my patient came back around the corner and he had a blue paper in his hands, which is great news, he passed on first submission! So then the race against the clock begins. We have two hours to get our patient numb, without anyone watching because I passed anesthesia, and then we had to clean a quad and I had two extra teeth and we had to do probing depths also. It sounds like a long time because most normal people go into a dentist and are completely clean and done with their appointment in an hour or less, well our patients haven't been to the dentist in years, mine hadn't been in 6 and it is very difficult to clean. So I started cleaning away, and all of a sudden the 2 hours were up. I literally was running my patient to the check in desk so I wouldn't get a time penalty. I really didn't feel like I had enough time and didn't feel like I got everything clean. The examiners then grade your patient but you don't get the results right away.
     When I got home and Race asked me how it went I just started bawling, all the stress and my worry that I didn't pass all came out. I was not very optimistic about the test and was worried I would be searching for another patient and waiting months to re-take it and paying another 1,000 dollars. We looked into what we would have to do in order to re-do the test, thats how crappy I felt about it. And then the waiting game began... I think this was a tie for the worst part of the test. They said it could take up to 30 days to get them. They come on the computer, so every day like a million times a day I was checking on the computer. Three weeks had pass and still no word. The day after the three week mark I got on facebook and one of the girls said she had gotten her results... so I started shaking and opened up the results... and the best news ever I PASSED clinical boards and the process of care exam!!! I seriously couldn't believe it! I passed all the boards 5 for 5. Obviously I was preparing for the worst... and the best happened! I was so grateful, I had prayed so much and just had faith I passed and by a miracle I did! I'm so grateful for Heavenly Father helping me through all of school and especially boards, there is NO WAY I could have done all of that on my own.
     Race had already left for his annual training for a month, they are going to Africa and luckily they hadn't flown out yet, so I got to tell him on the phone that I had the best news ever and our lives could go on as we wanted and I was forever done with hygiene school (well besides the on-line bachelor's program)   and boards! I'm grateful I at least got to tell him on the phone and not through a text that he may or may not have gotten. But the day would have been perfect if he was actually here with me and could celebrate with me, but with the military I take what I can get. I love Race so much and he really put up with a lot while I was in school, especially crying and stress break downs... I'm sure he won't miss that, but he is a great comforter and solution finder. I really do miss him, it's going to be a hard month without him, but it is ONLY a month and then it will be in the past... Now I apply for my license and that takes a couple weeks to get, then it's on to job hunting, which I would much rather be doing then patient hunting again. And the hygiene school phase is behind me, THANK GOODNESS, sometimes it felt like it would NEVER end, but it did :)