A 15 Hour Semester is Going Well...

So far that is. I enjoy all of my classes, but I don't really like being at school from 7:30 am until 8 pm. on Monday's and from 7:30 am until 6 pm on Wednesday's. I come home and want to climb into bed even if the clock says 9pm. My Friday class meets every other week with online work to do on the off week. I really like the mix of online and in class time.

This has been an odd semester when considering the weather. So far, the school has closed twice because of snow and ice. I don't mind driving in snow, and will even drive with the ice. However, it's all of the other drivers who are on the road that I do mind. I've seen some really stupid, albeit potentially redeemable people, out driving at top speeds when there is black-ice on the roads. The biggest obstacle is the bridge over the lake; when it's covered with ice, it's dangerous. I'm just glad that the school did cancel on the days I didn't want to take a risk and drive over that bridge. Fortunately, none of my classes are too intense to miss a few days and still stay on top of the schedule.

Okay, so classes are going really well...maybe too well. Anyway, doesn't it always seem that when things go really well in one area, something goes wrong in another? Last Friday, I woke up at 3 a.m. in severe pain that got worst as the hour ticked by. Mike woke up when he realized that I was sitting up and groaning and asked me what was wrong. The pain was so intense at the point that I told him to take me to the emergency room, now! The triage nurse treated me as if I were having a heartattack and the Doctor had me hooked up to all kinds of wires and machines. Two and a half hours, four sticks, an chest X-ray, EKG, and green yucky stuff to drink later, the Doctor came in with some results. The great news...my heart is very healthy! The not so good news, my liver enzymes are elevated. I followed up with my own doctor and the lab results showed the same elevations, so I have an appointment to get an ultrasound on my liver. I have no other symptoms to indicate any health issues, but the liver enzymes could mean something serious or something as simple as a remnant gall stone that got left behind from my 2002 gall-bladder removal. I have trusted God to take care of my whole life and I don't plan to stop trusting Him now. I'll update as I get results. Please keep my in your prayers.

Taking 15 hours isn't as bad as I thought it would be, but the work load can be overwhelming at times. There is a lot of homework and group projects to work on outside of the school hours. However, I look forward to keeping my grandchildren on Fridays evenings (William gets to stay until 10 pm and Kayleigh spends the night). Sometimes, I have to be forced to take a break from school work and grandkids are a wonderful break to take. I'd post some pictures, but it seems that blogger isn't working for posting pictures. I'll have to find another way to post them.

Okay, my break is over and I need to hit the books again.

Spring Semester 2007 Begins

Today is my last day of free/me time. No more playing, reading for fun, watching HGTV, and no more time-intensive home projects inspired by watching HGTV. Tomorrow I begin my first semester working on content for my degree. I’m looking forward to the classes I’ll be taking this semester, but I’m not looking forward to the long days of classes. I keep reminding myself that I only have two more years before I graduate again. I know I can do 15 hours this semester, but I really won’t know what it’s like until I have my routine down with every t crossed and every i dotted.

I did get a lot accomplished while I’ve been off. As I mentioned, we work out at the gym five days a week and twice a month with a trainer. I’m going this morning to work with the trainer, but I’m going to remind him/her that I need to function without being too sore to move for my first day of school. In one month, I have lost about 3 pounds, but I think I’m more toned and have lost some inches. I haven’t taken my measurements, but my clothes are looser.

My kitchen is finished—for now. I textured the walls and painted, re-framed my artwork, and organized everything in the kitchen and utility room. I think it looks bigger and brighter in the kitchen now. The next stage will be granite counters, and then paint and glaze the cabinets, but that will have to wait until after I graduate. I found dark blue granite that will go perfectly with my floors, but it isn’t cheap.

Mike and I went to Louisiana for the weekend and took Justin and his family with us to visit Jason and his family. Traveling in a motorhome makes it much easier when you have kids. Kayleigh sat at the dinette and played, read books, and napped. William is such an easy baby; he slept most of the time going to and coming back. Being able to stop in a parking lot to eat lunch or dinner is especially nice, and it allowed Kayleigh some time to get up and move around, as a two-year-old needs to do. I like having my own bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Mike played with the big boys (Jason and Justin) while I played with the grandkids. Overall, it was an enjoyable weekend of getting away before I return to school.

Just finished my workout; I did back and biceps and it feels good. After lunch and a shower, I plan to spend the rest of today reading the first two chapters for each class, as I typically do. I’m also going to catch up with talking to my friends who I don’t get to talk to very often when I’m in classes all day.

I expect this semester to be busy, but I also expect that I will enjoy my classes. I do feel this is the year for great and mighty experiences, greater than what we usually ask for. Expect with me all that God has planned for this new year.

Another Year Almost Complete

It’s hard to believe this year is almost over. I’m sure that my busy school schedule helps to make it feel that time has gone by quicker than usual. However, there is a difference between time flying by and getting little or nothing accomplished, and time flying by, but getting a lot accomplished. This is one of those years where I can say that a lot has been accomplished.

Academic:
I finished my Associates degree with Summa Cum Laude honors, and five hours came from TWU transferred hours. My transfer to TWU went smoother than I expected especially the drive and parking issues. I felt at home in each class, after my first three weeks. My personality requires organization to function well, and I do whatever it takes to create it where ever I am. My English minor is finished and I begin working on my content in January.

Personal:
Mike and I joined the local health and fitness center. I signed up to work with a trainer twice a month. I really don’t like working out in a gym; however, my schedule for the spring semester is going to make it difficult to walk everyday and I hate walking when it’s dark (before or after classes). We don’t have room or the equipment to get a good weight-lifting workout, and I love to lift weights. It is easy to build muscle and with more muscle, it is easier to keep my weight under control. I don’t want to look like the typical teacher when I start teaching with the rear-end spread. Unfortunately, sitting for many hours at school and then again at home creates weight issues and lost of muscle-tone. I’m going to the gym 5-6 days while I’m home from school. Hopefully, this will give me a jumpstart on my fitness routine. It’ll also help me lose a few pounds and gain some muscles before I head back to classes. I’ll need the muscles, and the strength that goes with them, just to carry all of my books for the semester.

I followed through on an ethical dilemma that was brought to my attention during my education course. After talking a local police officer, I found out that I wouldn’t have to do anything else. The officer filled out a report, asked me a lot of questions and said she would get back with me after she talked to her supervisor. When I hung up, it felt like a ton of bricks were lifted off my shoulders. The situation deals with the abuse I was exposed to as a child. It has taken me 18 months of counseling, almost 3 years of college, and time to get to this place in my life. I have no desire to press charges and certainly don’t want my perpetrators prosecuted; however, reporting the abuse to someone in authority left me feeling empowered.

Spiritual:
My personal growth goes hand-in-hand with my spiritual growth. I understand that God equips the called, but even then, He desires for us to rely on Him. During my first 2 years at community college, I relied on Him for everything. My emotional state was still fragile from the post traumatic experience I suffered during the summer of 2003. Going to college after graduating from high school 25 years earlier was difficult. I didn’t know if I was smart enough, but God reminded me of everything I had accomplished up to the point, and He wasn’t finished with me yet. He made sure that I had teachers that would see my potential and encourage me to do more than status quo, but they did it without pushing me over the edge. With each course finished at the top of the class, my confidence grew. By the middle of my first semester, I understood that God had called me to the mission fields, and my mission field at this time is college. There are many advantages to being a “non-traditional” student: I can minister to students, professors, and the staff members I come in contact with. By my second semester, I was tutoring students from all walks of life. I especially enjoy working with students from other countries. I began to really understand how God has prepared me my whole life to enter into the world of teaching. As each semester goes by, I am encouraged as I understand my part of the picture scheme of things. I have the title to the first book I want to write and the content of what will be in this book. I know that it will include my testimony of where I have come from to where I am now, but I want the book to be inspirational. I want to say to others that they can overcome anything when they choose to do so and allow God to rule in their lives.

With this year coming to an end, I'm looking forward to the new year and all that God has planned for me and my family. Join me as I continue my journey.

Graduation 2006!

Tomorrow I graduate and receive my Associates of Arts degree. As of this posting, I do not know with certainty if my transferred hours are all A’s. One grade is posted and it’s an A; however, I will not know until next week if the others are A’s. I finished my Shakespeare test on Monday and feel confident that I made an A. I finished my Advanced Grammar and Composition test this afternoon. This class has caused me the most stress, but I have also learned a lot from my professor. I’m not sure what my final grade will be for my grammar class. There is a chance that I could pull a low A, but then there is a possibility that I will make a high B. Whatever it is, I know that I have learned and that I have done my best.

When I began my education journey, I had no idea that I would be able to achieve such high honors. However, as every semester finished with all A’s I began to work toward the highest honor of Summa Cum Laude. Initially, my intention to achieve this goal was to prove that I am worth something, contrary to what I grew up hearing. This journey has been long, but along the way, I have discovered who I am and what I can do. My strength to carry on comes from the Lord; my courage to stand fast comes from knowing Him; my hope comes from knowing His Word and understanding that He has a plan for my life. What began as an opportunity to break away from the bondage that my parents created with their words and actions, has now turned into a quest to be all that God has designed me to be with out chains to weigh me down.

I walk tomorrow and will receive my diploma knowing that the last link of bondage from my past has been broken. I walk tomorrow, free to pursue the dream God has placed in my spirit. I walk tomorrow with a new confidence as a woman of God gifted with intelligence and abilities. When I take those steps down the aisle, I will be taking with me the encouragement and support of many professors, friends, and especially my
husband.

Post Graduation: 12-15-2006

Graduation was good; I'm glad I decided to walk. I did get recognized as Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA), and with that I received a gold medal (hanging around my neck). There were only five students who made Summa Cum Laude and I shared a few classes with two of them. All three of us are non-traditional students, which probably makes a significant difference in our desire to do well in our studies. We are there to learn and are willing to do whatever it takes to get the most from our education.

My father-in-law came with us to watch the ceremony, and afterward, he said he was glad he went. He took one of the programs to have something to show-off at his retirement center. He's going to brag about my honors recognition. ;-) The next goal he is looking forward to is watching me walk to receive my B.S. degree in two years.

Mike said he got misty-eyed when I first walked into the auditorium. I think it's because he really knows what it took for me to take the first step and return to school. My next two years will be intensive as I focus on my content for my teaching. I'm looking forward to beginning this next leg of my journey. Last week, I checked the local school district's job postings and saw one for Family and Consumer Sciences. If last night's ceremony were for my B.S., I might have gotten a job exactly where I want to be. I have two more years and will trust God for providing me with a position.

Here is a photo of my cap and gold tassle with a Phi Thetta Kappa charm. The gold stole, and blue and gold cords are for PTK members. The red, white, and blue ribbon with the gold medal is for Summa Cum Laude. Mike wants me to mount my medal in a shadow box; I'll have to think about it later. The blue folder is for my diploma...there's a note inside that says the real diploma will come in two weeks.

One more graduation accomplised and at least one more to go before I am finished with this part of my journey.

Registered for Spring

I woke up at 2:30 this morning wondering if I should get out of my warm bed to log online and register for my classes…I didn’t. Kayleigh is great about sharing everything, including her colds, and I started feeling yucky Wednesday evening. Needless to say, I just didn’t feel well enough to get out of bed; and consequently, I couldn’t fall back to sleep. I kept thinking about the classes I wanted and was worried I wouldn’t get the ones that are on a rotation. When I finally got up and logged on just before 6am, the system was having problems and I couldn’t get in to register. I made dozens of attempts without any success. However, I could monitor the class availability and noticed the one class on spring rotations was no longer open. The combination of not feeling well and not getting to register before the class filled pushed me over the edge and I finally broke down and cried. By the time the system was fixed and I got in, it was 4 pm. Thankfully, I had already worked out a tentative class schedule for the duration of my time at the University. This allowed me to swap the classes on spring rotations. So, I switched one class for the spring of ’08 with the one class I wanted for this next spring. It’ll probably all work out to be in my best interest. I have to look at this incident as a reminder that I can’t always be in control. I have to place my trust in the fact that God is the one in control of my life, and then I must trust Him to work everything for good.

The spring semester will be busier than I am accustomed to since I will be taking 15 hours. On Monday’s, I will be in classes from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., and I am not looking forward to having such a long day. The Monday evening class only meets once a week and my Friday class only meets eight times during the semester. I’ll have a sewing and a cooking with a lab class that should be easy for me to breeze through. I do have three reading-intensive classes, but with my other classes, I should find a balance. With all of my classes on M-W-F, I will have Tuesday and Thursday each week to focus on homework assignments. I hope that I will be able to have the weekend’s to recuperate before I hit the door running every Monday.

Despite the frustration of registering today, I did manage to get some baking done for Thanksgiving. I made orange-cranberry sauce, an apple pie, cranberry-date bars, and doubled eggs (Justin renamed deviled eggs when he was 3), but the dressing will have to wait until tomorrow morning. While I am in school, I have happily relinquished hosting Thanksgiving dinner to who ever volunteers. Since Justin and Michelle bought a bigger house with two eating areas, they are hosting Thanksgiving this year. :-)

I am thankful for so much: God has blessed me with many abilities and I am thankful for family and friends who continue to support my academic endeavors.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Registering for Spring Semester

I tried to register for the spring semester, but the online system reminded me that I am a sophomore (lacking 5 hrs to be a junior), and I will have to wait until next week to register. This left me feeling frustrated after I spent time mentally preparing myself to sign up for fifteen hours.

My advisor helped me with my degree plan a few weeks ago. However, after I looked at the number of hours she had me taking on a couple of semesters, I decided to rearrange and add one more semester so that I will not have to take more than 15 hours. This means I will do my student teaching during the spring semester in 2009, graduate in May, and be ready to interview for a position to teach in the fall.

This semester is beginning to wind down, and my last final is on December 14th. I graduate on the 15th from community college, and then I have a whole month off. I’m looking forward to having some time for me. Maybe, I’ll even have time to read for pleasure, not just for school assignments. This might be a good time to tackle a new home improvement project. Mike and I want to give the kitchen a little face-lift. We both like the Venetian finish I did in our master bathroom and want to do the same in the kitchen/breakfast room. The wallpaper isn’t out of date, but I’m tired of looking at it for the past 18 years. We’re also thinking about sanding and refinishing the cabinets. We like the antique white with an umber glaze look, but I’m not totally sold on the idea. I think I will wait until I strip the wallpaper and finish the texture and paint to see how the cabinets look. The biggest expense for this project will be the counter-tops. My ceramic tile is a mid-toned blue and I want to replace the counters with the same color granite look. I’m not making any decisions right now, at least not until this semester is over and I see how I feel about committing to working on this project.

My homework is finished, the house is cleaned and I want to take advantage of some down time and get some shopping done.

A Major Change: Making it Official

Well, it’s official, I have changed my major…again. Had I known about Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) when I first started college, I would have pursued it from the beginning. I hadn’t heard anyone talk about this major and I wouldn’t have known that it was Home Economics of my era, not with the name change. No matter, I looked into the plan and realized that it was custom made for me. I’ll be able to bring a lifetime of experience into this area and teach practical life-skills to students in 6th-12th grade. I’m really excited about starting the course work next semester, but I’m not too excited about taking 15 hours each semester. I am going to hold onto what I already know will be easily applied toward each class, making the workload not so overwhelming.

A couple of people aren’t as excited about my change in major. Part of their reasoning is concern for future job availability. I have looked into this, called 8 school districts, and talked to the advisor for the program. The information I have collected support job security inside the school system and outside of the school system. For those who know me well, they completely support my decision acknowledging the same conclusion I stated; a degree in FCS is a perfect match for my gifts and talents.

As for my 18 hours of English classes, they will be my second minor. The English advisor will sign the required documentations at the end of this semester. It feels good to have taken so much literature and earn recognition for what I have learned. I won’t close the door on taking more literature courses, but I’ll have to get through the 80 hours of FCS first.

Other changes that took place this past week:
My honor cords, tassel, and sash for Phi Theta Kappa came in. On Thursday, I purchased my cap and gown from NCTC and will graduate December 15 with an AA. One degree down, and one more to finish…I’m almost there.

Z is for a Zebra at the Zoo

The change in our temperatures brought out the animal is all of us; so, the family decided it would be a good day to go to the Fort Worth Zoo. This is Kayleigh and William’s first trip to the zoo. William was oblivious to the sights, sounds, and scents around him. He pretty much slept through the visit. Kayleigh on the other hand wanted to “see more animals.” With her two-year-old attention span in charge, we didn’t linger for long at any one exhibit. Consequently, we got through most of the zoo in just a few hours. Kayleigh’s memory is like an elephant. Next time you see her, ask what she saw at the zoo…alligators, bears, condors, dragon (komodo), elephants and down the alphabetical list, she’ll go.

Here are the women in the family: Ame with Kayleigh, Aunt Samantha with William (he's not a woman of course!), Michelle, and Granny.

And here are the men of the family: Abba, Justin with William, and Papa.

Booster-shot of Encouragement

After getting past my first two weeks confidence crisis, I dug in and found my niche at University. I found myself dealing with some of the worse case scenarios these past two weeks. The first was having my in-class, hand-written, and timed essay read aloud and graded in front of the whole class. Let me first say that I truly dislike writing in class. I prefer writing at home and on the computer. However, having my paper read and analyzed by the professor and by my classmates wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was even surprised by a couple of positive student comments. They said they would be happy with the B I received. Fortunately, the professor doesn’t record this grade. We have until the end of the semester to rewrite the paper for a better grade.

The next event took place in my Education course. Last week we walked into class and had to sign up in groups of four. This impromptu assignment required each group to create a lesson in 30 minutes. The lesson had to include visual, auditory, and kinesthetic aides. Each member of the group had to participate and we had 8 minutes to present the lesson to the class. My group came together quickly when I signed up without hesitation for the Era of Education. One student even said she wanted to be in my group because she liked me and thought I was smart. The other two agreed and I was voted as the leader for our group. I don’t normally like group projects because someone always seems to be a dead weight and I, being the way I am about everything, end up doing that person’s work as well as my own. This situation wasn’t the case for my group. I discovered just how far I have come with delegating work and cracking a whip. Our group finished creating our history lesson by using every letter in the alphabet with a two-stanza rhyme that covered education during the Colonial Period. We had so much fun creating the lesson and the result of our corroboration set the precedent for the rest of the class. This experience gave me another example of how far I have come and grown in the area of confidence.

Topping off both events ended with this morning’s Leadership Conference at the community college I attended for my first two years. I submitted a paper titled, “Conforming to Individuality.” On Thursday of this week, the moderator notified me to let me know my paper was one of the top two winners. Mike and my brother went with me this morning to participate in the conference until I received the recognition and cash award. I did not think I would receive first place, my goal was to have my paper published. However, I did receive first place and it feels great to be acknowledged for my ability to write. I mention this about writing, because this is the initial reason that triggered my confidence crises a few weeks ago.

The lessons learned from all of these examples: Stand fast and don’t be moved, surround yourself with supporters who can offer encouragement when you need it the most, and believe in yourself especially when you are being tested.

Glamour Girl

Justin and Michelle asked if I would give Kayleigh her first real haircut, not just her bi-monthly bang trimming. I hesitated to cut her hair for fear that it would cut off her naturally wavy loose curls. After bathing her Friday night, I sat her on the counter in front of the big mirror to comb her hair and see what needed trimming. Justin thinks her hair looked like a mullet, but I couldn’t see what he was basing that on. I used a clip to hold the back of her hair before trimming her bangs. I decided to give her more bangs to help keep them out of her face when her hair isn’t pulled into pony-tails. Trimming bangs is routine and Kayleigh sat still as usual. However, as I combed the back of her hair and made the first cut, Kayleigh reacted with, “Ow.” I tried to explain, to a two year old, that cutting hair doesn’t hurt. She seemed unconvinced every time I made another cut. I finished the hair cut with a blow-dry, and added a few curling iron touch-ups. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she smiled and hugged herself as she proclaimed, “Kayleigh’s a princess.” Yes, Kayleigh is a little princess and she's all for allowing photo-opts.

Here she is after her “make-over” as she relaxes on the window seat in the study. Abba is at the other end as Kayleigh is reading to him about "Old McDonald." The pursed lips are the results of getting to the part about a cow, "with a moo-moo here and a moo-moo there."

Our Friday evening and Saturday's are so much fun. Mike and I love spending time contributing to the lives of our grandchildren.

I Can See Clearly Now...

I know, this line comes from a song, but it expresses how I feel about this semester -- now.

On Wed. I gave my power point presentation for my Shakespeare class. It was about pogonology (study of beards). I gave my introduction saying, "I love beards, but let me be specific. I like well groomed, short beards, not ZZ Top kind of beards." Everyone laughed and my professor asked me how I felt about "that Oak Ridge boy with that long beard." I don't think I went over my four minutes and that is always a good thing for me once I do start talking. Before I could get to my seat, several students gave me words of praise for my presentation. This experience is so different than being at the community college. There aren't many students at college who are willing or able to give words of encouragement. The sense of community at the University is strong and everyone goes out of their way to encourage and help one another.

My frustration with grammar terminology isn't so bad now. I visited with one of the college professors for 2.5 hours on Fri. while she went over the basics with me. It helped-a lot! I even came home with homework she assigned. :-) I hope to incorporate the same energy and passion for English grammar into my own teaching as Ms. Varner has for it.

Not a lot to report about my education course, it's fun, it's easy, and it's what keeps me from feeling overwhelmed.

I'm finally able to work ahead on my classes. Plus, I can enjoy time with my grandchildren and work in my yard. My focus this year is to stay balanced between school and family.

Hitting a Wall

These past three weeks have been a challenge to say the least. As I have mentioned before, I don’t like change and sometimes change comes slowly. I thought the longer drive to University would cause more stress, but surprisingly, I have adjusted a lot quicker than I thought I would. Parking is no longer an issue after dropping my Spanish course. Finding my way around campus isn’t a problem either. So, you’d think that everything was going perfectly. Well, if you thought that, you’d be wrong.

Let me give you an update:

My first week of classes was stressful, but I knew I would eventually adjust. However, as I sat in my Shakespeare class I realized that I might have taken on more than I should. This is a senior course and technically, I am five hours shy of being a junior. The professor asked everyone how much Shakespeare we knew, and it seemed to me that ¾ raised their hands, and half of those students have played parts in his plays. We then went over the syllabus and the additional handouts that listed the various projects we will have during the semester. I felt out of place and overwhelmed by the increased workload expected at this level. I began to think that I couldn’t keep up and should quit college altogether. As an optimist, I decided to give college a full week before making a decision. I’m glad I did, the professor is wonderful and by the second day, I knew that I would love her as a teacher. I decided to stay the course and hope for the best. I am enjoying this class and have connected with other students, which really helps to get over feeling like an outsider.

My second day of classes originally included Spanish, advanced grammar and comp., and my first course of education preparation. My day started at 10 am and I wasn’t expected to get home until 8:30pm. My last post explained how this day ended with me leaving my last class to get to the hospital for William’s birth. What I need to explain is the unexpected effect my Spanish class had on me. I have a lot of tolerance, but my Spanish teacher was going to challenge my tolerance level and I wasn’t sure if her style was going to be worth it to me. Let me begin with calling her eccentric. She dances, sings, and experiments with falsetto voices all while she is talking to us in Spanish. Now, add to this mixture a large portion of the class from her first semester of Spanish. Their lack of self-control, feeling comfortable with the teacher and enthusiasm to talk non-stop throughout her lecture contributed to noise pollution. By the second day of this class, and within 15 minutes, I thought my head would explode. I came home that day in tears knowing that I was going to drop the class but also knowing that it would affect my scholarship requirements. Mike assured me that the scholarship wasn’t worth what I was experiencing and released me to drop the class on Friday. The whole procedure led me to my Chair and that in turn meant that it would go to the Dean. Thankfully, my Chair is taking care of the whole situation and I won’t have to confront the professor.

Okay, now for the part about the scholarship: They took half of the money away for this semester as a one-time deal. I will have to take 12 hours for the remaining semesters if I want to keep the money. After much prayer and agonizing over this, I have decided to give up the remaining scholarship. This will allow me to take the rest of my Spanish courses at the college where I took my first class. It will also allow me to take the hours I feel more comfortable with.

Thus far, I have worked through everything I encountered…until I went to advanced grammar and comp. I kept looking at the syllabus to make sure that I was in the right class and not in a class for Greek or Hebrew or any other language I have no clue to understanding. I had no idea what the professor was talking about when he started going through the seven sentence patterns. This is where my wall appeared; I don’t know the technical terms for grammar. The result of this awareness caused me to suffer a confidence crisis. I stopped by the college to ask my Director to remove me from the tutoring schedule. When she asked me what was going on, I had to explain that if I didn’t know grammar, I didn't feel I should tutor students in English. She said that she has her English degree and taught developmental English and yet she couldn’t diagram a sentence using all of the technical terms. Her words of encouragement helped as have the others who talked to me about this issue.

I am thankful for having professors, friends, and family who have stepped up to provide me encouragement and to help me create a strategy by which to tackle this challenge. The results: for the first two weeks of this class, I could get two out of ten sentences correctly diagrammed. On Thursday, I correctly diagrammed eight out ten sentences. My new motto for this semester is, “success breeds confidence.” When I can’t get over, around, through or under the wall, I have a support system who can help me get to the other side.

With God, all things are possible.

Grandbaby #4 is Finally Here!

For the past two weeks, everyone in the family participated in a variety of activities to get Michelle to go into labor before school started. However, William decided to hang around until the Doctor had to induce him to come out.

School started for me on Monday with no sign of William’s arrival. Justin’s classes started on Tuesday, that is my long day of classes beginning at 11:00, and ending at 8 pm. Tuesday wasn't any one's choice day for Michelle to be induced, but the rest of the week was full.

I went to school that morning with my phone on low-ring and checked it between classes. When it finally rang, it was just minutes before my last class started. Justin calmly asked, “What are you doing?” I let him know that I was on my way to my last class. He countered with, “Michelle is 9.5 cm dilated, pick up your syllabus and get here.” If you know me, I hate to miss my classes but I did not want to miss this birth. Before I hung up with Justin, I told him to pass on a message to William, “he may have taken his time getting here, but now he needed to wait for me to get there.” I quickly stopped by my class, introduced myself to the professor, and filled her in on the situation. The class cheered at the news and she waved me out.

I arrived in the delivery room just as Michelle started pushing. Thirty minutes later, William James Russell made his appearance at 5:54pm. He is a big healthy baby at 9lbs, 6.5 oz and 21.5” long. Everything about him matches his daddy’s stats, except for the color of his hair, which is much darker than Justin’s is.

Justin called a little while ago and said they were all home. For those of you who aren’t able to drop by to visit, here is a picture I took of William when he was only about 15 minutes old.

William James Russell

Transfer for the fall

Classes begin on Monday, part of me is excited about going to University, and the other part of me isn’t looking forward to the change. I don’t particularly like change of any kind, I adapt fairly quickly, but the initial change can take its toll on me. I’m a routine, give me a schedule, step-by-step, kind of person. Transferring means a new driving route, different traffic to deal with, a different city, new people and teachers and all with their own variables that I don’t have control over. I don’t like being late to anything and that causes more dread when I consider the traffic and the limited parking spaces at the University. I know that I will adjust within two weeks and so I try not to think too much about the details involved with this change.

Mike reminds that I felt like this before I began college. I may have, but I only had a 15-minute drive over the lake and the campus is much smaller than the University. I have grown since my first day of college and I feel better prepared this time around. I think my apprehensions are just part of my personality. So, my take charge personality mapped out the parking spaces I’ll be allowed to park in and color coded them with the classes I take each day. I’ll have a couple of parking lot options for each class, just in case the first lot is full. I plan on taking a dry run tomorrow after church to locate the parking lots and make note of what street I need to turn on to get to them. Several are one-way streets and I don’t know my way around the area. A little bit of planning helps to give me a feeling of some control, which reduces my anxieties.

While some anxiety is normal, I may be feeling a bit more than usual because I have been going to school year round for two and a half years with very little time off between semesters. I’m tired. These past two weeks have flown by quickly and I didn’t even have a chance to get bored, well-- not physically bored. Normally, I begin to feel completely bored, and have lots of energy to tackle several projects, after the first week of break. However, when I first started college I created a list of projects that needed to be finished and tackled them during every break I had between semesters. I have finally reached that place where I don’t have any major projects to work on. In fact, the majority of little projects are finished. I’ll always have school papers to organize, but that doesn’t really count. There is also the ongoing scrap-booking project I started a few years back and will continue to work on as long as I take photos. But that too doesn’t really count, they are just part of on-going life.

After rereading this and reflecting on the past 2.5 years, maybe I have a right to feel tired and in need of a little more time off before this next semester begins. I’m going to need lots of prayer covering just to get started for this semester.

Core Complete!

Finally, I finished my last science course and am now core complete and am considered to be a junior in college. However, I don't really think it makes much difference except that I get to take whatever classes I need to finish my major.

I sat down and looked over my degree plan and realized that I forgot to figure into the expected graduation date with my student teaching. If I feel comfortable with taking 15-18 hours per semester, I could still graduate in the Spring of '08. Part of me says there is no way I can do more than 12-13 hrs per semester, but then there is another part that says I could do more. I should know how comfortable I am with 12 hours after I complete my first semester at University. In the meantime, I'm taking the pressure off and will plan for graduation in the fall of '08.

My two weeks between semesters are already filled.

• I'll be helping Michelle finish with the little details of getting their house in order after their move. One of the ways to help is to keep Kayleigh for a few more days so that Michelle can rest in preparations for the birth of William. We'll also get a few more meals prepared and into the freezer.
• I decided to tutor again in the fall and this means that I have to complete 6.5 more hours of online training. I have until the end of next spring, but if you know me, I'd rather do it earlier rather than drag it out.
• I have my books for the fall semester and that means I'll be getting as much reading as I can before classes begin. Better to be prepared than feeling overwhelmed by the reading load I will have.

Two weeks off isn't much time, but I did get out today to do some shopping. During a semester I shop like a guy with my list in hand, in and out and then back to my books. Today was leasurely, I enjoyed myself and got some really great bargains. I plan on making a visit to Victoria's Secret tomorrow before I go to Michelle's.

I almost forgot to mention my grade, I received another A. I just hope I can keep my track record up after I transfer. The goal of Summa Cum Laude is calling my name and I like the challenge.

Today is Jason’s 28th birthday

It is so hard to believe that I have a 28-year-old son especially when I can remember every labor pain and the delivery in detail as if it happened today. However, it was all worth it to bring into this world a very talented son. Happy birthday, Jason!

A Few Statistics:

When I was 28, our sons were 9 and 10.
When Mike was 28, they were 1 and 2.
Jason at 28 has sons that are 3 and 5.
My Professor for Environmental biology is 28, and only five months older than Jason is. Kind of weird when I think about that, but Mike has always said that after High school, age is all relative.
Our youth pastor at church turned 28 this summer.

As you can see, much can be accomplished by the age of 28. I’ve taught a lesson on the different decades in ones life. The 20’s are a time for life and academic learning. After learning how to be an adult during the 20's, in the 30's decade you get to practice what you learned and really get to enjoy being an adult. Only two more years before you turn 30, enjoy this time and keep learning.

Atley's 3 Today

Today is Atley's birthday and we are planning to drive to Tyler as the half-way point to celebrate his birthday tomorrow. Since tomorrow is Grandpa's 91st birthday, and we have Kayleigh until Monday while her parents move into their new house, we will all go and spend a couple hours together. We're meeting at McDonald's and while it isn't my favorite place to eat at, it's too hot to do anything else and they have an indoor playground where the three cousins can play together for a while.

See you tomorrow Atley!

"It's a Birthday Party"!

Kayleigh turned two on wednesday, the 5th of July. The family party was on Sat. She is a very blessed little girl to be surrounded by so many family members who love her unconditionally. Her Granny (maternal grandmother) and I (paternal grandmother) talked about how unusual it is in this day and age to have both sets of grandparents, a great-grandfather, aunts and uncles all living within a few minutes of her. Kayleigh won't be getting away with very much when so many of us are out and about town, she'll never know who she might run into. Who knows, but she might be one of my students when she gets to 8th grade or any of the high-school grades I might be teaching. Anyway, she is covered by many prayers and surrounded by love.

Kayleigh is extremely intelligent, she picks up new concepts very quickly and I could go on and on about all of her brilliant achievements, but I'll just say that everyone (not just proud grandparents) think she is gifted.

We'll keep Kayleigh during this weekend while her parents move into their new home. Hopefully, the next few weeks will go smoothly as Justin and Michelle get their house unpacked in time for William's arrival. I'll try to help them as much as I can after I finish with my class and homework.

Kayleigh isn't the only one who is blessed, Mike (Abba) and I (Ame) feel very blessed to have a wonderful relationship with our granddaughter, her parents and the extended family members who live nearby.

One Science Course Finished, One to Go

Finals were yesterday and the grades should be posted sometime today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an A, but after yesterday's test...I might receive a B if I make less than a 73. I'm not sure what the Professor was attempting with this test, the way she worded a lot of the questions made it very difficult for everyone. I just took my time and eliminated the wrong answers and when it came to those questions I would call a "trick question", I just read carefully and then, if all else failed, quessed. I hate to just quess at a question, but it's better to take a chance than to leave one blank.

I'll check my grade later this afternoon, but in the meantime, I have a birthday cake to make for my granddaughter. She turned two on Wed. but the family party is on Sat.

Time to get my four mile walk in before I start baking and cleaning the house.

And the Grade is...

an A! Okay, I couldn't wait until this afternoon to check on my grade. Now I can finish my chores and cake decorating.

4th of July and Four Days Off

The original schedule for this semester included going to class today and then having tomorrow off for the 4th. However, my professor decided that we would have the day off to allow everyone, including her own family, a four day weekend. We'll make up for the time on Wed. and Thur. by having two full days instead of the half days that were scheduled. No one complained about the change of plans. I am taking advantage of the extra time off by getting lots of chores finished at a leisurely pace.

We have our lab test on Wed. and our lecture finals on Thur. The professor is planning on covering two chapters on Wed. so they will be added to the test. I have read both chapters and started studying the material I have with high hopes that I will make an A in this class. I didn't think there was any way for me to get an A with the two B's and two A's I have so far. I don't usually add up my scores to see what kind of grade I will get, but I did for this class. When I added up everything I have made so far and then allowing for a low A on the rest of my test scores, I actually have a possibility to make an A. I'm not stressing over any of this, especially when I reflect on the fact that this is an accelerated class with a lab... but, I still want an A.

I have a goal of getting my associates degree with a summa cum laude recognition; however, magna cum laude or cum laude are all recognized as outstanding accomplishments and I will be satisfied with any one of them. I understand the drive behind this goal, part of it is for my own satisfaction and part of it is to be a contradictory witness to the negative input my parents impressed upon us as kids. It took the first year of college to erase all of the old messages they put into my head (not good enough, not smart enough, not worth enough, etc.) and the next year to rebuild positive, validated messages. I have finally come to embrace the fact that God has equipped me with so much more than I ever thought possible and I want to use what He has given to me to bring glory to His name. So, while I work hard at my studies and in my service to Him, it really is all for Him. Christ is my fortress, my foundation, my strength, my peace, my countenence, and my everything. Without Him in my life, I would be lost.

Each step along this journey takes me further from the abuses I was subjected to as a child, with many of the effects carrying over into my adulthood. I thank God often for my husband who has supported me through these growing years, who supports me through my college trials and who continues to allow me to grow and heal at the pace I need.

The destination is my goal, but the journey is where I am learning and enjoying the life God has created for me.