My Mom's Shoes

     As a little girl I would raid my mom’s closet, find her high heels, and stumble clumsily around our house in them.  I dreamed of the day, when I would grow up and finally fill her shoes.

     Well, it’s been twenty years since I first dreamed of filling her shoes, and I’ve realized I never will be able to.   But, I can follow in her footsteps and get pretty close to the path she’s created.

     My mom’s footprints are all filled with a common theme, love.  Whether it’s love of our family, love of God, or love of others… the theme is always there.

     My greatest desire is to reflect the love my mom has shown to my family, to a family of my own.  As a youngster, I was a momma’s girl and would often panic if left alone--- even with my dad.  Why?  Because everything is okay, as long as mom is around.  Even when my world seems to be falling apart, my mom’s loving embrace and her soothing words makes E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G better.  Everything.  Including when I was learning to ride a two-wheeler and totally crashed my bike, had to deal with mean bullies, learned I couldn’t get a driver’s license at 16, and the time I watched a good friend pass away.  Because of her constant love, I have always known everything will be okay.  I hope to reflect this love to my future family… and it is because of her example that I look forward to motherhood and all of the love, joy, and challenges it will most certainly bring.

     My mom’s love of God is yet another way I hope to follow in her footsteps.  She knows her Heavenly Father, loves him, and will do all she can to serve him.  Often, this is through her service in the church.  My mom gives everything to each calling she’s ever been given.  Her most recent calling has been in primary, and she loves it.  She spends hours upon hours each week preparing sharing times, attending presidency meetings, and finding creative ways to share her testimony with the children in her ward.  She knows God loves her; she loves him, and wants to share this love with everyone!  Because of her example, I have always known about my loving Heavenly Father and have in turn desired to share this love with others.  If I can fulfill my callings even half as well as my mother I’ll be doing fabulous!

     My mom’s love of others is yet another example I want to radiate.   My mom’s philosophy is to love others, and let them decide what to do with it.  Just this past month, she demonstrated again the importance of loving others.  We have some difficult neighbors, who have children that often roam around the neighborhood, destroying property.  One day, I came home from school rather annoyed.  A few of the children were throwing gravel in the area where I park my car.  They had been told numerous times not to play in the area, and I was irate. Being the mature adult I am, I stormed into the house and vented to my mom.  Instead of getting angry she found some candy, and went to talk to them.  She was able to show them she genuinely cared and as a result they have reflected kindness back.  This is just one very simple example of her ability to love everyone.  She has literally touched countless lives with her love, and I hope to fill my footsteps with this same kind of love.

     Because of her amazing example in every aspect of her life, I don’t imagine I will ever fill my mom’s shoes; but I can definitely follow her footsteps.  And maybe, one day, when the journey of life is over--- I’ll be able to look back and see my footprints of love following closely behind hers.

Another Year Bites the Dust

Assuming I’ve passed all my finals, I can cross another year of pharmacy school off my list!  Since I began school in August I’ve taken out enough student loans to cover my $20,000 tuition, spent $500 on books, made over 2,000 flashcards, took 4,000 sheets worth of notes, spent over 1,000 hours studying, taken 36 tests, spent 300 hours commuting, and written 10 papers.  I guess you could say it’s been a rather demanding year.  Looking back over the past 9 months, I have learned a lot both inside and out of school.  Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned during my second year of pharmacy school:

1.      It is possible to date while going to school.  Yes, I know this was a shock to me too.  I never imagined I would have enough time to be a student and actually have a relationship with someone.  But, it did happen and has been oh so perfect.

2.      I love retail pharmacy!  I always imagined I’d end up working in clinical pharmacy but I love retail!  It is so rewarding to counsel so many people every day and really feel like you’re making a positive difference in their lives.

3.      I really like Chinese food.  Like, a lot.

4.      Holding the pharmacy law class at 7:30 a.m. is a cruel and unusual punishment.

5.      It’s a really, really bad idea to B.S. papers.  Just ask my management group.  We B.S.ed a 20-page paper about pharmacy work-flow, and our professor loved it so much she wanted us to present it to the entire pharmacotherapy faculty at a staff meeting.  Yikes! 

6.      The heated blanket is the best invention ever and whoever invented it should receive a Nobel Prize.

7.      I am actually capable of teaching relief society.  Though I always had the “I am going to vomit” feeling before giving my lessons, once I actually began teaching I L-O-V-E-D it.  I loved all the insight I gained into gospel principles, I loved the stories that the sisters shared, and I loved getting outside of my little shy bubble and sharing my testimony with others.

8.      Spring Semester really should be called winter semester.

9.      Making different medications and then counseling on them in compounding class is a blast!  Pharmacy students are probably the only students who get an A for telling their  professor to go stick something (suppository) up their rear.

10.  Dante’s Peak is not nearly as scary as it was when I was 9.  In fact, I think I’m starting to get over my irrational fear of volcanoes.

11.  Pharmacy school takes over your life, including your thinking.  I’ve recently fallen into the habit of deciding what type of a drug a person would be.  For example, some speakers in church have been an Ambien (sleep medication), while other people have been Fosamax (bone strengthing drug) to me, and I’ve loved my dose of Prozac (antidepressant medication) I’ve gotten every time I’m around Rick.

12.  Automatic doors don’t open during power outages.  Assuming the doors will open, results in a bruised ego.

13.  After graduating, I want to teach!  I’ve discovered my love of teaching and I hope to teach part-time at SLCC and work part-time as a retail pharmacist.  This seems like the perfect combination.

14.  You are never too old to fly kites, feed ducks, swing on the swing, or play tag.

15.  I have the most amazing family and friends!  Thanks for helping me get through another year.  I couldn’t have made it without all of your love, encouragement, and support!