What’s something you’ve done that your past self would be proud of?
Earning two degrees in Criminal justice.
I always said college wasn’t for me. I’ve gone to college for different things when I was younger.
Medical.
Massage therapy.
Psychology .
I never finished. I left college those times because I just wasn’t into it, and felt like none of those fit me. I didn’t know if college fit me, so I wasn’t interested in going back to try something else.
However, I did eventually get through medical…but that wasn’t where my heart was.
I was 39 when I moved to Minnesota and decided since I knew what I wanted to do with my life, I needed to finally finish college. I knew if I wanted to do probation and to get into that, I need my degrees.
Even if I wasn’t going to do probation, I knew I wanted to be in the field of Criminal justice – doing something. So, at 39 – a few months after moving to Minnesota and really having nothing else to do because we were in such a small, boring town – I enrolled in college. 🤗
In 2023, I graduated with my associates degree and I went back for my Bachelor’s in Criminal justice as well. I graduated with that in 2025.
Life happened along the way, and there were many times I wanted to give up, or didn’t feel like I could get through it because of the things that life was throwing my way. Or – because I worked overnights and I was exhausted. Or – because being a mom and always on the go – kept me busy.
Still….I kept going. I didn’t quit this time and I think my past self – who quit college three different times – my past self – who was a bratty out of control teenager and partied well into her 20s… My past self – who was wild and didn’t want to go to college –
would be so proud of myself now.
I am proud of myself now.
I got through it and I now have two degrees I never thought I’d have. 💕
I’ve thought about going to Law school now because many people call me to help with their legal issues, or if they get into trouble, just need legal advice because I usually know how to handle it and I’ll help – but that’s another 3 years, and I’m not sure if I want to go that route.
I joke that I just want to hand out my card, and know that my friends and family can say, “You’ll be hearing from my attorney”, or know that they have an attorney to call if they need it, but my kids are so serious when they tell me they think I’d be a great lawyer and they try to push me to go to Law school. 👀
I told them I am too old to be going to law school and I won’t finish until I’m 47 or 48. My son told me he’s seen 70 and 80 year old lawyers out there, but if I’m that old and still working – maybe I do want to be making lawyer money, huh? Ha.
It’s something I have thought about, but maybe I need to really sit down and think about it fully to either say, “Okay! Let’s do this!”, or – not.
Anyway……
It’s Saturday and for the first Saturday in a long time – I don’t have to work.
I just went back to the medical field, and left the job I was at where I was constantly working weekends.
Anyone who knows me – knows I’ve been in the medical field for so long and when I got out of it, I didn’t want to ever go back to it, but I have.
With two Criminal justice degrees, my heart is set on probation and helping youth change their lives the way I had people help me change mine when I was younger, but out here in Illinois – you have to be on an eligibility list to become a P.O. and I do plan to put myself on that list this week. (Pray for me y’all).
I was recently working at a Drug and Alcohol recovery and treatment center out here in Illinois, but my heart wasn’t in it and some of the things that went on there – I couldn’t get down with.
Now the center I worked in when I lived in Minnesota – I absolutely loved that one and I miss all of the tenants that lived there. (I’ll make another post about them another time).
So, I applied to a few medical jobs and one replied back right away saying they think my experience and skills are amazing and they wanted me. ❤️ I’ve worked different positions in the medical field over many years and memory care had always been my favorite. (Alzheimer’s/ Dementia).
Is it tough and stressful sometimes? Absolutely.
Seeing the patients so happy and full of life one minute, and then trying to swing at their CNAs and nurses the next because they don’t recognize us, or fighting with us because they say one thing and reality is another – is definitely difficult, but they are such sweet people and I loved working in memory care for that reason.
I remember a few years back working M.C. and one woman was crying because she wanted to leave. She was trying to go for a ride on her motorcycle and go get her nails done. She had to go to Walmart she said – to pick out some nail polish.
I sat her down and told her we could order nail polish online, have it delivered and I told her she sent her motorcycle to be serviced. She just said, I did? Oh. Shoot!”. I had her sit down with me at a table and pick out nail polish colors, as well as having her show me what kind of motorcycle she used to have.
I learned a long time ago that if someone suffers from Alzheimer’s/Dementia – you have to live in their world and just let them think or say whatever they want, and agree with them as long as it doesn’t hurt them or anyone else, so me telling her that her motorcycle (that she owned for years and her adult kids sold) – was being serviced – it calmed her down and made her forget about going anywhere. 🤗
M.C. can be a fun unit to work on, and so – I’m actually excited I’m back to medical for a while. It may not be for long if I get myself on the eligibility list for probation or anything else, but I plan to enjoy it while I’m back to it.
It also means I don’t have to figure out what I’m wearing to work anymore because I’m back to the scrubs life. 🩺 I work overnights, so if I want to go to work in leggings and a cute scrub top – I totally can!
So, today with me being off of work – I took Elijah and Kailani to a Trunk-Or-treat event at our local outdoor movie theater. Yes, we have a drive-in right near us. How awesome is that? 😁 They’re constantly changing movies, too!
The place was packed and so many people signed up to hand out candy. So many amazing companies were there doing the same and it was a lot of fun to see the way people dressed up or had their kids dressed up.
I was trying to suggest some cool costumes to Elijah that I planned to buy or have delivered before the event, but he wanted this …..
Listen.
I’ve been a mother for 26 years now, and I’ve learned long ago to pick and choose my battles, and this was not a battle I was about to have.
My daughter had a fit and said there were so many other things he could have gone as, and she tried so hard to get him to pick something else and change his mind. I had to hold my hand up to her, ask her to leave him alone and to tell her about the (pick and choose your battles) motto I live by.
So, eventually – we went to the event, and he enjoyed himself, got a lot of candy and of course – businesses were using the event to not only hand out candy – but to promote themselves.
We came home with tons of flyers to different businesses, a toilet plunger from a plumbing company 🤣 and some kind of long stick that allows you to put it down a clogged drain and pull up whatever is stuck.
They were passing out different things free, and Elijah just grabbed whatever he was handed. lol
Still, he had a good time and so did we.
No idea what he was supposed to be but he loved it.
I was looking at this guy for a good few seconds wondering if he was real or stuffed, and it wasn’t until I went to take a photo and he waved at me – that I realized he’s very much a real person.
Well played, sir! Well played! 😄
Go to – Imaginationlibrary.com to sign up.
I didn’t get too many photos, but it was good to get out of the house and even better to be off this weekend.
I don’t have much else for you right now.
My life isn’t too exciting.
Have a blessed weekend.
🩷Shel🩷