Really Cool Fact

So last year we went to the No Greater Joy Shindig and enjoyed it. This year Papa said we could go again and I volunteered to register our family and make the reservations. When I was figuring out the food, I saw that children 5 years old and under can eat for free. Here's the really cool fact I just realized:

September of this year will be the first month that our

family does not have anyone under 5 in 18 years!

Unfortunately that is also the month the shindig is :).

My favorite sites for CLEP biology

So right now I am studying to take the CLEP biology test towards becoming a Lactation Consultant. Here is my list of links:

Speedy Prep-this site does cost some to set up an account but it is definitely worth it. I have not been on the new site. The old one just has 400-600 questions per subject. You answer the question and then it tells you the answer right away with an explanation. It will save the questions you missed so you can go back and try again.

Free University Project-this site has a list of links that cover all the areas that the CLEP test does. Some of them are online biology books, some are study guides, etc.

howjsay-this is a talking dictionary that has hundreds of words, even the strange science ones. It's good to hear how to say a word. I can remember it better.

http://www.johnkyrk.com/DNAanatomy.html -this site has 3d animations of several different things, not as many as I would like but the ones it has are helpful

The way I've been doing it is first I read through the Free University part corresponding to the first speedy prep part. I look up anything strange in howjsay, Wikipedia, YouTube, or the 3d animations. Then I answer the questions on speedy prep. I keep going this way till I have done the first hundred questions. Then I go back and retry the ones I missed.
This is the best way I have found.

One of my biggest favorites

The other day I did nothing but science. Over the past year I had decided that I want to be a midwife and lactation consultant. One of my faults is second guessing myself too much. There are so many things I could be or do. Is this the right one? Is there a "right one"? I have not been as diligent working towards it as I probably should be but the past few weeks I have had several full days of Biology. By the end of this last day I was feeling like I was being bombarded with information. So many new words and concepts that I really only see two or three times each and then am expected to remember. Needless to say I was feeling pretty unsure of myself.

 

BUT, that evening I got to visit my newborn cousin for the first time and I was reminded why I chose midwifery and lactation. Because babies are so special. Because new life is amazing. Because God loves them so much and I can easily see why. Yes, I have found my calling. I can work hard for this.

 

This little one got her beautiful big eyes from her mommy.

The two good pictures by my sister-photographer Ann.