20 Days, 14 Weeks, and Forward No Matter What

 I just did something I’m really proud of.

This was a 14-week paralegal program, structured in two separate 7-week courses.

I completed the first portion in 4 days.  

I completed the second portion in 16 days.

That’s 20 days total for a program designed to take about 98 days.

Now I’m waiting for my Paralegal Certification to arrive from Montana State University Billings. The only thing left is completing my Advanced Paralegal Certification courses.

All of this while working full-time, raising an 11-year-old as a single parent, and walking through a potential major health issue—including a stereotactic biopsy scheduled for Tuesday.

I’m not doing half bad.

I hope my parents would be proud. I know God sees the effort.

I’m setting a new goal: to complete the Advanced Paralegal Certification just as efficiently as I completed this program. I want my daughter to see what it looks like to set stretch goals and follow through.

Not stopping at “good enough,” but continuing forward with purpose.

Next up: Advanced Paralegal Certification, with focused coursework in:

• Advanced Legal Research  

• Alternative Dispute Resolution  

• Criminal Law  

• Criminal Procedure  

• Family Law  

• Victim Advocacy  

Everything else is already in place:

• Paralegal Certification (completed, awaiting certificate)  

• Montana Notary Public  

• Ordained Minister (authorized to officiate marriages)  

• Licensed Security Guard (BSIS)  

• Real-world experience as a District Court Clerk  

Over the years, I’ve also completed more than 300 post-graduate level courses through community college and online programs—covering everything from Excel to legal topics like the Whistleblower Act and more.

There are a lot of directions this can go.

Law office, court system, or county agency work.  

Law enforcement support roles such as dispatch, administrative positions, or detention center work.  

Or building something of my own.

A small paralegal services business helping people who need real help but can’t afford full representation:

• Legal document preparation  

• Court filing assistance  

• Case organization  

• Understanding the legal process  

• Family law and basic civil support  

• Notary services  

• Officiating weddings  

With my background as a District Court Clerk, I understand how the system works in practice—how cases move, what courts expect, and where people get stuck.

I’m proud of the work it took to get here.

And regardless of what next week brings, I’m going to keep moving forward—steady, focused, and determined.

An Update, A Pause, and a Whole Lot of Gratitude

An Update, A Pause, and a Whole Lot of Gratitude

For those who have been keeping track, I wanted to share where things stand. It has been a fast-moving couple of weeks, and at times it feels like I’ve been on a conveyor belt of appointments.

It started with a screening mammogram, which led to a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. From there, things moved quickly — another ultrasound to guide a procedure, followed immediately by an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, and then a post-biopsy diagnostic mammogram to confirm clip placement.

That first area came back benign, which was a relief.

Shortly after, I received a call that another area had been identified — one that can only be seen on the mammogram — and that a different type of biopsy would be needed. I met with the surgeon (and I need to correct myself — he is a general surgeon, not an oncologist). If anything needs to be removed, he would be the one to handle that. I have not met with an oncologist, and at this point, there is no appointment scheduled with one.

So, we move forward.

Next week, I have a stereotactic biopsy scheduled for this second spot. I will see the results in MyChart as soon as they are available, and then I will have a follow-up call on Friday to go over everything in detail and discuss next steps.

At this point, by Tuesday evening, I will have had:

• 1 screening mammogram
• 1 diagnostic mammogram
• 2 ultrasounds
• 1 ultrasound-guided biopsy
• 1 post-biopsy diagnostic mammogram
• 1 stereotactic biopsy
• and most likely 1 post-stereotactic diagnostic mammogram to confirm placement

So… seven to eight radiology tests in about fifteen days. Not exactly how I planned to spend March, but here we are.

The important part is this: there are two separate areas. One has already been biopsied and confirmed benign. The second is still being evaluated. Step by step, we are working through it.

And in the middle of all of this — life is also moving forward in the most meaningful ways.

We are continuing to move right along in the adoption process for my 11-year-old foster daughter, and on that front, life truly could not be better.

At the same time, I am completing my Paralegal Certification — which, for most people, is where that path ends.

However, I have also been approved to continue into a separate, more advanced track. I will be earning an Advanced Paralegal Certification, which is a standalone, more in-depth program focused on specialized areas of law. That program will carry me through to graduation in August.

In addition to that, I continue to serve as a notary public and remain active in ministry. I am working full-time, going to school full-time, raising an 11-year-old, and recently signed up again to serve as a volunteer election judge.

And through it all, 406 Back the Blue continues to grow every single day, just as it has for the past six years — continuing to show consistent support for law enforcement, armed services, and first responders.

So while there is a temporary “glitch” on the medical side, the truth is that life, as a whole, is full, steady, and incredibly rich and beautiful. For that, I am deeply thankful.

I also want to say this — the messages, the prayers, the support, the kindness… it has meant more than I can properly put into words. Every single person who has reached out, checked in, or simply held space for me — I see you, and I am grateful.

And for those who may no longer be part of my day-to-day life but may still come across this — I wish you well. Truly. There are chapters that close quietly, without conflict, just time and distance doing what they do. I’ve made peace with that. I’m thankful for the moments we shared, for the roles you once played, and for the memories that remain.

Some stories are not meant to continue forever, but that does not take away from what they once were.

I will always hope that you are happy, healthy, and finding your way toward everything you’ve wanted.

As for me, I have learned how to recognize when something has come to its natural end — and to let it rest there, with respect and without reaching back. There is peace in that.

So for now, we keep moving forward. One appointment at a time. One answered question at a time. One day at a time.

I will share more when I know more.