Leaving out for the testing center

I am in London at my hostel. I will be leaving out to the testing center in about 30 minutes time. My test is scheduled for 11:00am. I just got through eating a simple breakfast, cornflakes with orange juice. I have an apple in my pocket to go.

I slept well last night. I share my room with three other female human bodies. I say that because I have no idea who they are. I was in my top bunk and sleep way before the rest of them returned to the room. They may or may not be there when I return. I had some concerns that I would be with a group a loud, noisy, disrespectful bunch the very eve before my exam. But everything went smoothly.

It is cold here. It is not snowing though. Last night I bought a knit hat and gloves at the local convenience store. I am layered up with two long-sleeved shirts, a fleece pullover and a thin jacket. Yesterday I felt protected outside.

There is a small part of me that wishes I had more time to see Big Ben, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, etc. This is my third time here in England (twice in London) for business purposes that did not permit me to do any London sightseeing. I will be back of course. I will come with my family which will make it that much more enjoyable. Besides, with the little bit of time that rests I would like to do some more shopping.

I need to buy the books for the graduate nursing classes that I am taking in January. I found a book store that has at least two of them. My daughter's 10th birthday is coming up. Of course, there is Christmas.

I feel okay. I am breathing. My stomach is not hurting. My stress tends to gather in my stomach. I have prayered and positively visualized a million times over. I thank God for already passing. I see myself holding my nursing license in my hand. I see myself logged into the State's Nursing Board and I see:


MY NAME RN 4704845269

my name with my registered nurse license number listed--which means that I passed!

So far, I feel great (well not G-R-E-A-T! like Tony the Tiger, but I'm cool). Now, I have to hustle a bit to arrive there. I need to take two subway trains. Today I am not weighted down by my backpack. I just have a small portfolio that has my Authorization To Test and passport.

I found myself tearing up the evening of my departure. I stopped myself because my daughter was right next to me. I did not want her to get upset over me crying. Although there were tears of relief, I did not want to explain to her why I felt compelled to cry. It has just be such a long journey to reach this point

I was just about ready to cry on the plane, but I was too dehydrated and did not want to use up my tears right then and there :-). It is not a good idea to drink wine on a long distance flight. You get dehydrated so fast and the flight attendants do not come around fast enough with water. Nowadays you cannot bring you own water with you, so you are dependent upon them for water.

I will cry when I finish.

I have reached a place where I have placed everything in God's Hands/The Universe. I have no doubt about this. Things are working themselves out. Since I left Africa, I have not been stressed not for one moment. In fact, the way in which I left Africa told me that God has Her hands all around me (I will recount this story later).

Things have not always been perfect on this trip. For example, I got on a bus that the driver told me was going straight, but he wind up turning and I lost my sense of direction. But I did not get stressed by it. I just picked up, corrected it, and moved on. This says a lot. This is providing me with peace and a sense of knowing that everything will be just fine.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I was not with my family. In fact, I missed them incredibly. It must be the first Thanksgiving that I was not with my family, but I was the most THANKFUL than I have been in a great, long while.

Pray for me. Send me lots of positive energy. I am leaving out for the testing center.