My wife, Heidi, is a superhero. No, it’s true. She doesn’t wear a cape or fly (that I’m aware of!) but I’m fairly convinced that she’s no ordinary mortal.
A few years ago, after the human wrecking ball we call Jacob was born, she made a big decision. She loved her job in advertising…and still does…but she wanted to do something MORE. She wanted to be a nurse…a nurse that, eventually, would help other moms overcome the obstacles that turn them away from breastfeeding. Before she could be a specialist, though, she needed to be an RN.
Now, please understand that my wife had already finished college when I met her. Then, soon after she moved to Texas, she went back for her MBA. So pursuing a career in nursing would mean a THIRD spin through college courses. If that doesn’t sound daunting enough, she decided to keep working full time because, as I said, she really enjoys the world of advertising. So she kept working…and took a full load of classes on nights and weekends.
This meant changes for the whole family. Date nights were less frequent. Daddy had to be on duty more hours each week. Kids had to adjust to me stepping into situations where they might have preferred Momma to be on deck. So we talked about it. We reminded ourselves why it was important to help Momma help others. That, by helping her and making a few adjustments, we were helping HER to help THEM. And we made it. We were a team.
But the star player of this team is, without a doubt, Heidi. With little sleep and few opportunities to relax and do something OTHER than studying, she finished nursing school and just recently started her residency at a local hospital. And, yes, she’s still working in advertising. She’s a beast. A lovely, kind beast of an advertising nurse. And I love her and couldn’t be more proud of her and all her accomplishments. I’ve been asking her for a while now to just let me shout it from the rooftops about how awesome she is, but she humbly declined…having no idea how annoying I can be. I eventually wore her down.
I love you, babe! I’m super proud of all you’ve accomplished and can’t wait to see what your future holds!
