IT IS SURREAL!!!
I have been working toward THIS goal for 21 years of my life!!
A LOT has happened in the 21 years.
I started part-time at Mesa Community College back in September of 2001
I was actually able to squeeze out an Associate's Degree before we moved in August of 2004.
At some point while we were in Texas, I started going to Blinn Community College,
and then eventually transferred to Texas A&M University.
When I was about 5-6 months pregnant with Matthew, I was taking a test and Matthew just kept kicking me. That is when I said I was done, because I just couldn't concentrate anymore. I was going to be a mom and was excited about that....
We moved to Virginia and after many years of trying to have a baby and didn't, I applied to Virginia Commonwealth University. I actually can't remember if I just started the application process or if I actually finished and got in, but I was going to go back and finish my degree.....then we actually got pregnant again, this time it was with Michelle, so I put my degree on hold again.
Right when Michelle turned 5, the whole world shut down. In the summer, I talked to a Kindergarten teacher and she suggested I send Michelle to school rather than just doing virtual, so I sent her to school and I started BYU Pathways.
There were two options. One option was to start from the very beginning and you would pay about $70/per credit for the rest of your schooling.
The other option I could have taken since I already had an Associates Degree, was that I didn't have to do that year of Pathways, I could start taking classes at the college, but my tuition would be like $130/credit for the rest of my schooling. Since I am cheap, I chose the $70/credit option, but I had to start from the beginning, like literally 1+1=2. BUT I could just quiz on those sections and if I passed I didn't have to worry about them, so I flew through the math part very quickly.
We had two classes, I believe, one religion, and one Life Skills. We had to do the homework throughout the week and then we met via Zoom, every Thursday morning from 10:00-11:00am. Ten minute break and then we came back for the other class from 11:10 - noon.
We each had to take turns teaching at least 2 lessons, every semester. I HATED the teaching part of it, but it was SO good for me. I LOVED the religion classes and they helped me gain such a stronger testimony of Joseph Smith, but also how the church began and just a stronger testimony and gave me more confidence in the gospel. Best choice I have ever done, starting from the very bottom.
It was INCREDIBLE how much you got to know each other even via zoom. We all took the same classes all three semesters together and it was AWESOME to have those people by my side. I still keep in contact with them today.
At the end of the year we applied for either
LDS Business College or Brigham Young University - Idaho.
I applied to BYU-I.
When I started Pathways, I thought it had been way too long since I had taken my classes and none of them would be accepted, but about 80 out of my 90 credits were accepted so that was FANTASTIC!!
I was so much farther ahead than I had originally thought I would be able to be.
So BYU-I here I come!
I took 1-2 classes in the fall, winter, and "spring" semesters
("Spring" semesters went into the middle of July!).
Sometimes the two classes weretoo much with trying to mom and keep my family together so a couple times I had to drop a class.
About week 6 of my 14 week winter class in Feb, 2023 Chris and I looked at how many classes I had left which was I believe 9 classes and we decided that if we really just buckled down, he did a lot of the household stuff and I took 2-3 classes, (picked up two for the 2nd block of winter semester), then took 2-3 in "spring", summer, and fall, then I could be done by December 2023. Those summer classes were pretty brutal because they were full classes but condensed into 7 weeks. It was as if I was taking 4 classes at the same time.
Chris took on the dinners EVERY night!!!
HALLELUJAH!!!!!
As well as many other things and we all suffered through it.
But DECEMBER 14th, 2023
I GRADUATED FROM
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY - IDAHO
with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Studies
(basically administrative assistant work)
I chose not to fly up there to walk, because that would have been expensive, but my name was in the program!
It is still surreal to me, that I am ACTUALLY DONE!!!!!!
WHAT???
Chris got me this sweatshirt for Christmas and I laughed so hard and love it SO much!!
I LITERALLY could NOT have done it if it weren't for Chris's love and support and all that he did to pick up where I couldn't because so much of my time was spent doing homework.
I did learn so much, and I thankful for the classes I was able to take, I LOVED that I had to take religion classes, and the parenting classes were really things that I needed and even if I didn't get a degree I still learned SO much taking the classes I did.
Another AWESOME thing that I got out of it, was that I had to do in internship and thankfully I got to do it at Michelle's elementary school front office. I was only suppose to be there from 8-10am every day, but I loved it so much I usually ended up staying later and I loved the people I worked with. Apparently the main registrar/secretary there didn't like me at first because she felt like I was trying to take her job or something. I was just trying to help where I could. Answering phone calls and answering the door was something I COULD do, whereas entering everything into the computer was not something I could do. She eventually got to know me well enough that she realized I just like to be helpful and she should enjoy the help while she had it. We got to be good friends and we even went out to lunch and shopping together over the Christmas break. She says she is going to miss me so much not being there to help her out. I wish there was money for me to be in the office with her to help her out. It seemed like so many people liked having me there, I hope we can get the budget for at least a part-time office person next year and I get to be that person! I would LOVE it!!
When everybody goes back to school on Monday, Jan. 8th, it is going to be sad for everyone. Michelle won't have me there. I won't get to be there, and Gen won't have me there to help her out either:(
SOOOO....it only took 21 years, and 5 different colleges,
but
I FINALLY finished my Bachelor's degree!!
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