Masters of the Universe: What's Next

The master's degree is finally a reality! I completed my thesis defense on June 11th and walked at the UW School of Nursing graduation on June 13th. I had just come off of a 12 hour night shift so some parts of the day are blur but overall it was enjoyable. The best part however, wasn't parading across the stage sporting my new hood; it was knowing I had the support of family and friends.
So now that this part of my life is over, many people have been asking me what's next. I'm trying hard not to be too tempted to start back in school right away. I'm really thinking that now is the time to gain a little balance, take some time to regroup. In the immediate future: I am leaving for Mexico with a group of 20 teen-agers THIS Friday! We'll be working with a church and their youth on construction projects and Vacation Bible schools. This is my 12th annual trip with this group. In the not so distant future: I am accepting a position at Buntain School of Nursing at Northwest University teaching a clinical group and helping with management of the skills lab. I will be decreasing my FTE at University of Washington but plan to continue in clinical practice to maintain a current perspective on patient care. I am hoping that this will led to a more normal schedule and a better balance.
Ultimately over the next year I would also like to concentrate more on the development of Shiloah Health Outreach as a non-profit organization. Also on my list: clean the house, fix the back deck, write the Mexicali Bible studies BEFORE the meetings begin, sew more, sleep more, and the list goes on... Of course we'll just have to wait and see if God doesn't have different plans...