Ruth,
Everyone here is talking to you based on experience and not to slam you for your decisions. My wife has a nursing degree. We got married 2 months after she graduated from college. She took the first job offered to her only to back out of it a few weeks later when her dream job of working in the operating room came thru. She is still there to this day and it will be 17 years this summer. You always start at the lower end and work your way up. After 17 years the money is unbelievable and with the amount of OT that they ask her to work because the hospital is sooo short staffed is crazy. That is a reason that we are able to go to places like Alaska every couple of years or Costa Rica fishing etc. We now have 3 kids also and they are gems but alot of work to keep them busy, sports etc. If we where not driven to give ourself and our children a better lifestyle we could go live in the woods of northern New England. Just remember your life is what you make of it. You have a choice to make it better the only thing that people don't like to hear is people complain about their life, GO MAKE IT BETTER, ITS A FREE WORLD.
BRHNTR