So here's the dream, buy gas stations and start a not for profit diabetes clinic for Cache Valley.

How do I accomplish this?

I'm still figuring that out. I have a number of steps to take before I get there, but I'm determined to land in the ball park of this dream. Cache Valley is in need of a clinic specializing in diabetes. People with diabetes are in need of education, care and assistance that they can afford.

I just finished up my CNA class at BATC on Thursday. I really enjoyed the class but I kind of wish it had been longer. Just to soak up more information from the teacher. He has a lot to offer but just not enough time.

My goal is at least an RN and becoming a Certified Diabetes Educator.

To accomplish my goal, I need to finish up at least the RN, get experience working where diabetes is the focus of the majority of my work, get certified as a CDE and business degree? Then build the money to get the clinic out of dreamland and into reality.

At this moment I can't quite see how to get there and hold down my 60 hours a week of work. I need to add more working hours to maintain my CNA license as well.

For now, I'm working on getting my pre-requisites out of the way for the LPN program. Then I'll figure out how to do the 8:30a to 4:30p, M-F schedule of the LPN program while maintaining my position as Assistant Manager at the stations.

Then I assume I'll be doing the same for the RN. Along the way I need to be holding down a health care job and building contacts to be able to bring this dream to reality.

I finally understand people who say they need more hours in a day. I need more days in each week and every year.

The pace may be grueling but that's not necessarily the challenge, it's mostly fitting all of it into each week while maintaining relationships and chasing after my exasperating health. (But I'll not say the pace is a cake walk.)

I'm excited and a bit terrified to be taking this path into health care. I find health care to be an intimidating career with all the things that have the potential to go wrong. But the rewards just beg to be considered. Helping people is my passion. I don't need to be paid to do it, but I need more time to do it. To have more time, I need to make helping people with diabetes my profession. Teaching about diabetes, assisting with care of diabetes, answering questions about diabetes and just being a friend who "gets it" really make me happy at the end of the day. When I can make a connection with people, I'm just tickled pink. But there's even more satisfaction when I can make a difference in someone's health and sanity as well.

And why do I want to keep those gas stations? Well... a lot of reasons. Working there, I've built myself a community. I adore customer service. After a while, it's not customer service, it's seeing your friends every morning before they go to work. Seeing how they are all doing. Encouraging when they need a bit of a boost to make it through another day of work. Sharing and celebrating success.

There's also the people you work with, they become like family after a while. Everyone putting their best effort into making each store a success. It's team work and it's hard work at times.

I adore the work, it's different every day because people are different every day.

At the end of the day, it's very satisfying and enjoyable. I feel a bit possessive of the stores because of the work we have put into them. I couldn't stand seeing them fail. We all put blood, lots of sweat and some tears into each store. It would just feel wrong to leave. To me, it's not just a job, it's just my every day.

Cross your fingers for me. I'm prepping to do some mountain climbing.