Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?

Here's a brief update on my life.  I last posted in October last year.  I was stalled, trying to finish the appliqué dandelions for my self-designed quilt.  I wanted to finish them soon, to have a quilt for the winter.  *Narrator voice: She did not finish the quilt for that winter.*  In fact, I still haven't finished the appliqués.  I will... eventually.

Instead, I've been making other quilts, some of which I even bothered to photograph!  More on that, soon. 

On the home front, we lost Cutie Pie, and several months later brought a new kitten, Buckaroo, into the home.  It was sad to say goodbye to Cutie Pie, but our li'l Bauckaroo is lively and adorable.  He's also a bit more destructive than Pretty Kitty (who has now entered her dotage) or Cutie Pie, who was too shy to do much damage.  Buckaroo loves string and fabric, but instead of staring and occasionally swatting at it, he jumps on it and scatters it everywhere! 

Cutie-Pie, our sweet talkative boy

Buckaroo!

On the work front, I have thoroughly loved my job as a caregiver/DSP (Direct Support Professional, but give it a few years and they'll re-name the job, again) at a group home.  I love the five guys I support, and it's a joy to be there.  Given that, it's sad to contemplate leaving... yet here I am, leaving.  The reason is that working in that home has opened my eyes to a previously unknown field that I can be good at, and education I want to pursue.  This is the first time in years that I have had anything like a long-term plan or career ambitions.  I've mostly been trying various things without a sense of purpose.  My ambitions were personal, not professional.  Now I have a plan: short term, get my CNA-1, and work as one while applying for Mt. Hood Community College's Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) program; next fall and the next two years, work as an agency CNA (more flexible hours than being employed by one facility) while getting my PTA; long-term, get employment as a PTA. 

Alas, I can not stay at my current job, much as I love it, and afford full-time college next year, and so becoming a CNA is my stepping stone.  By changing jobs, I automatically give myself a $4 raise, with employer-assistance for college after a year of employment.  I can expect to make a bit more with bonuses/incentives once I'm doing agency work.  I also think having worked as a CNA will help me later, since I'll have experience in a variety of healthcare facilities with different populations.

Overall, I am excited to be walking a new path, with a destination in mind.