Blessings direct from Heaven...

Its hard to put into a post exactly how my life has changed in the last 24 hours but all I can say is that it is a 100% total blessing from God.  I've been preparing for this day for the past 2 years but its one of those things that you hope for and try to stay optimisitc for but at the same time you're preparing yourself for the reality that it might not come to fruition...

Since I quit teaching two years ago to pursue nursing I've had my eyes set on one program in particular and despite my research - I was hard pressed to find another that had a similar sponsorship opportunity.  I was planning to apply to other programs but it always seemed that as I found another program to apply to, I had either missed the application deadline or didn't have all my prerequisites done in time for the application.  I managed to get accepted to UC Denver but I just knew that at $50,000 and 22 months, it wasn't a smart move for me so I declined the acceptance.  All my apples have been in one basket for starting school in June, if it didn't pan out I've been planning on applying to schools for a January start.  I won't lie, its been unsettling knowing that all I've been working towards for the past two years has come down to waiting on the decision of a few people who don't know me from Adam in the midst of 300 other applicants.

Yesterday all the preparation was found to not be in vain.  I am blessed to say I was not only accepted to the the University of Arizona's Master's Entry Program of Nursing (MEPN) but I was also selected to receive 1 of only 9 sponsorships.  With over 300 people applying for 90 spots and only 9 of those spots being sponsored, I was brought to tears with God's blessings.  Receiving a sponsorship means that the $34,000 program will be paid for, I'll have a job secured upon my graduation and I'll be working for University Medical Center for 3 years as an RN upon graduation.  I have to pay taxes on the $34K and I have to take out loans to live on but when all is said and done, this is the absolute best case scenario and I feel like I've won the lottery. 

I know many of you have been praying and following me on my journey through all of this, thank you!!  Now begins the next step.  Orientation is May 16th (a month sooner than I thought) and I have a lot to do between now and then...stay tuned for all things Tucson.

Prayer requests...housing & student loan approval, a future church, getting plugged into a great community of people and peace. 

Blessed beyond understanding,
~L