6/8/07 “Graduation”

Three years ago my family and I watched my brother-in-law, Dustin, graduate from college. Something stirred in me and I was inspired to go to college.

When I graduated from high school, I decided not to go to college right away. I was getting married, and I just wanted to be a wife, and eventually a mom, much like my own mother. I had my life all figured out. Then, several years later I found that life doesn’t always go as planned. I had two kids, I was in the middle of getting divorced, and I had no career to fall back on. This is when I started to regret my decision not to go to college immediately after high school. I had nothing to fall back on, and it was a scary time for me.

Life has a way of working itself out. I found a wonderful new husband, and a healthy blended family. I knew I was doing what I was meant to do by staying home and raising our children. But I was still bothered by the fact that I had nothing to fall back on if the day comes that I need to support my family on my own. I figured out the hard way that you never know what the future holds.

So as I sat at Dustin’s graduation and watched all of those people who had achieved their goals, I knew that it was time for me to do the same. I had no idea what I would major in, but I knew that I would earn a college degree, and I also wanted to graduate with honors.

Fast forward to tonight, Friday, June 08, 2007: Graduation Night! Woohoo!!! I achieved both of my goals. I earned an Associate of Applied Science in Human Services, Summa Cum Laude. There were so many times that I questioned whether or not I could do it, whether I was good enough, if I would be able to follow through with my goals. It was quite a journey to say the least. But I did it!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Now I will take a break from school and my potential career. I will go back to what is really important to me, and I will spend the next few years raising my children full time. I am back where I belong.