Update

"Crap."

That's all I could think of as I was taking the blasted PTCE. Why  did they have to post the worst possible case scenario questions on there? They chose the math I didn't quite have down, the drugs I hadn't quite memorized, and of course the abbreviations I didn't quite understand.

"I'm going to fail. I'm going to go home and have to tell everyone that it was all for nothing... I'm going to go  cry and feel very very bad for myself for about a week. Yep, that's what's going to happen. Dangit."

So, reluctantly after racking my brain for the last remaining minutes on a silly question, I pressed the Next button to end my test. This is what showed up on the next screen:

Dear Angela Welch,
We are pleased that you have recently chosen to test with us at the Pearson Vue Testing Centers. We hope that your testing experience was a positive one. Below is your result. You're official score will be sent to you in 2-3 weeks. Thank you again for your participation in the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination.

RESULT:
Pass!!!!!

I can't believe that I'm done! As tedious as it was, those six months of classes and training all paid off. I was talking to my dad about it after I got home and he mentioned how this is something they can never take away from me. My license as a CPhTech is mine and there are no more tests or pre-requisites left to keep me from getting a job. It's such a relief. It feels so much better than I could ever even try to explain. Of course, I couldn't have made it through it without literally everyone close to me in my life. My friends, and most importantly my family. To all of you... THANK YOU!
I'm. All. Done.

Meanwhile... Not 24 hours after I published my post on the Canon Rebel I wanted, I was driving home with one of my own! Yes that's right, my OWN (Dad wanted to buy it off me the second we got in the car to go home. Of course I'll let him use it though!).

The day after the post, I went online to check out average retail prices for the Canon Rebel XT. They were what I thought they were going to be: expensive. So I went on KSL to see if they had any used ones for a good deal. That's where I found her. About half way down the page a posting came up for a used Canon Rebel XTi (an updated XT) including a case, two batteries, original box and instructions, a photography book retailing at about $50, a new strap, a brand spanking new lens with an image stabilizer... the list goes on but those are the most important things. What originally caught my eye about this camera was the price - $350! A dang good deal! So I called the woman and asked her some questions. She's had the camera for four years and it's seen a lot of use since she uses it a lot for her family and kids. She assured me that although it was that old, it didn't have a scratch on it and that it was in excellent condition; the only reason she was selling it was because she got a new one for Christmas and she didn't need it anymore. 
Sounded good to me. 
So in a few hours, Dad and I were driving to her home in South Jordan to check it out. I was sold immediately. It looked just like new. The lens itself was worth $200  and the things included were too good to be true. I talked her down to selling it to me for $300 because tuition is due soon an I'm running low because of lack-of-job. Anyway, her name is Shauna and she is a saint. I will FOREVER be grateful to her for her helping me get this camera. 


So I'm happy. It's been a fantastic week full of some pretty amazing blessings. All I need to do now is get ready for school next week and apply for jobs... how hard can that be?


Here are some of the first pictures taken with the camera:

Poor Charlie, he couldn't stop drooling after this.

After a few hours of studying I promised him a little play time.

I love this dog.