Boards. Our boards for PA school are called PANCE...that stands for Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam. It consists of 360 questions on signs, symptoms, lab findings and diagnostics, treatment, and medications for a wide range of diseases from the varying systems in the body. It's pretty intense. Then your score is calculated out of 820. Well, I took the PANCE last Thursday (8/13/09) and finally found out the results yesterday morning. I PASSED! I scored 690 out of 820, which is the 93rd percentile (which means, I scored better than 93% of the students who sit for boards). So I did good. Chris says he never had any doubts, but I always had an eensy weensy bit of doubt in the back of my mind that I kept suppressing until I knew for sure. After all, he didn't take them. He doesn't know what they are like. :) It seemed like you either knew the answer or you didn't, which can end up being scary, depending on how many you don't know. And there's 9 different versions of the test (or something like that) and you never know how each question plays into your total score. Anyhow, I guess I don't have to worry any more. I passed, and that means I'm good for 5-6 years, until I have to take the PANRE, which is the re-certifying exam. At least the PANRE in only 300 questions. :) So now, I am officially and completely done with PA school, I have a Master's degree, and not only am I a PA, I'm a certified PA, which is even better. I'm still in shock.
Moving. Chris and I have been packing little by little for the past week, getting ready to move to Colorado. Our house is a mess! It's full of boxes everywhere you turn...we can barely get through the hallway or the kitchen. My parents come out tomorrow to help us finish packing and tying up all the loose ends...and to see the beach one last time for a while. And then the movers come Thursday morning to pack all of our stuff into a semi (yes, we have that much stuff...you're surprised?...you and me both.) Then we leave Thursday afternoon, as soon as the movers leave, and we'll drive 6 hours of our 16-hour drive. We plan to stop in Vegas for dinner, and then go to St. George, Utah where we'll stay the night. Then Friday we'll do the rest of the drive and hopefully be to Colorado at a decent time. We're excited to be back, but will be more excited when we get jobs and a house. We'll miss Irvine and the beach and most of California, but we'll be better off in Colorado. We're looking forward to exploring the state and doing all the things we never did when we we're growing up. It should be fun!
Jobs. Still no luck for Chris or I when it comes to the job hunt, but we're looking everyday. We probably picked the worst time to move, as far as jobs and the economy go, but we couldn't wait any longer. Chris has wanted to move back since the day I started PA school...so I guess you could say we've put it off long enough! I'm hoping to find a job working in family practice or urgent care, but we'll see. I may have to take what I can get, at least for now. We can only live off savings for so long, and this move home is costing a lot! Chris is still looking in medical device companies, but may have to expand his search to other types of mechanical engineering. We'll see.
Dogs. Chris and I are getting very close to getting our own pup. I've wanted my very own dog for so long...for as long as I can remember. Chris promised me (more like I made him promise me) that I could have a dog for my graduation present. We're planning on getting a Great Dane or two and have been in contact with several breeders for the last year. Anyhow, it looks like our number might just be up...there's a breeder in Arizona that has a litter due in two weeks and the puppies would be ready to take home in October (we're hoping to have a house by then). She's not sure how many puppies there will be in the litter...the momma got an x-ray today to get a better idea and then we'll know where we stand on the list. I'm crossing my fingers. I have been waiting for this day for so long.
Spare time. So now that Chris and I are unemployed, and I am done with boards and studying, Chris and I have had a little spare time. We've been frequenting the beach and the pool more, and we went to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and also to Sea World. We had a great time! We've also been catching up with friends here before we take off for good. We've been working out every day, which is nice, and going to bed late, sleeping in late, etc., etc. I've also been reading now that I can read what I want. I just finished the book I bought Monday and plan to go get another one soon. It's been nice. I guess we're just enjoying the time off while we can...God knows it won't be like that for long, and it will be long before it's like that again (quite possibly until retirement). We have been trying to get back to Colorado since April, and it seems nothing is going our way. So we decide to go out of a limb and just go. I know God has a plan for us out there, and we're hoping that soon He'll make it be know!For now, that's all the change that's going on in our lives. It's a lot all at once, but we're ready and excited. We'll keep everyone updated as we settle into Colorful Colorado. :)
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