I remember when one of my friends went back to school. She told me she LOVED it. I totally didn't get it. I had NO DESIRE to go back to school. Even when I did go back I hid very minimal desire to go back.
But to my surprise, it was the funnest thing ever. People would wonder how I was doing it. I wondered at that point how I couldn't do it. It was a JOY. It was fun, my friends were there, my teachers/mentors were there. It was rejuvenating. It was purposeful. So was my mothering. My heart was so very torn. I want to be home. I wanted to be at school learning, playing. I wanted to be home. I can't ever talk about the journey without saying that. I wanted to be home. It was never my intention to go to school or have a career. I had a very fulfilling plan in my motherhood.
But I have talked about this before and it is what it is and I am accepting a new plan.
Anyway, I GRADUATED!!!!!! I am maybe not as "proud" as I should be.... because I wanted to be home. And I felt like I neglected my family to do this. But my therapist Rachel said to separate it. I can be proud of my accomplishment. There doesn't have to be all these "BUTS" to it. Be happy. Be proud. I did it.
And graduation day was the funnest ever. Corey told me that I looked so happy. And I really was. It is fun to be celebrated.
For lunch I took my kids to chic flay to celebrate. Justine is a sweetie and got me a gift and paid for Kate to give me a gift. Little dollies. Aunt Sherri joined us and it was just a great lunch. And I had the best manicure (I'll post that next) to go along with it. I love fresh fake nails!
Kate picked out this lizard key chain for me! She knows her mama!
I loved this lunch! It was a great day.
Then I went to commencement. I spared my family going to that. It was a two hour thing and then later was graduation where they read my name.
The cool thing about commencement was they lined all of us graduates up in a line and then we walked into the room filled with the audience and we walked past everyone to our seats in the front while fancy music played and everyone was looking at us and smiling. But my favorite part was walking through the teachers. It was almost like a spanking machine (hahahaha) but it was them clapping for us.
I will always remember one of my most favorite teachers giving me a thumbs up and a big squinty smile and he mouthed a good job and even thought he did it to my friends before and after me it still pierced my soul and in that moment it was meant just for me.
He was a great teacher. He taught. He had an art to his teaching and his classes were wonderful and fun and he was funny and his classes were impactful and meaningful. And he ALWAYS kept his office door open and anyone could stop in at any time and chat. I received maybe as many as ten office chats with him, some with me full of tears, and he would encourage and share FUNNY stories about his own failures and how it was still okay. He and I would banter quite a bit and I really loved being in his classes. Even though they were hard!
At the commencement the president of the school talked, President Gilbert...
and this man spoke, Elder Durrant, he is a leader in my church, he is 6'7"!
Kassidy and her boyfriend, Naveen, were nice and came to the whole thing. Later she posted this picture and these words on FB. My sweet girl.
"My mom is amazing. She raised 7 people, do mommy things, work, and go to school. She is amazing for being able to do soooo much. Im grateful for her and her wonderful example of motherhood. Theres no other woman i would have than her. I want to be just like her when i am a mom. Thanks mom and congrats and graduating Susan!!!!"
So during Graduation I was so happy. I love all these kiddos
so very much.
Us surrounding our beloved teacher. He was the only one who was able to make it to our graduation and it meant so much.
This cutie has been in my stake (my church) with me for a long time and she is "older" too. Although we had completely different majors, it was fun knowing she was there and she is a kind soul.
One day, I went crazy and started buying this nugget all sorts of baby boy new born clothes. He wasn't born yet but I loved all the new baby clothes! They were so cute. My kids often wore hand me downs and I had plenty so I never purchased much. It was so fun for me to spoil the little guy and my beautiful friend. She worked so hard to get through school and grow this baby at the same time!
These two neighborhood friends came to my graduation! So nice!
All my sweeties supporting me at my graduation...
Hahahaa!!! Do these look like two bored boys or what! I insisted they come. I wanted them to see their mom accomplish this.
After the graduation I said goodbye to my teacher. I shook his hand and starting crying. He was mid sentence trying to telling me I was going to be able to the job I had been trained to do and I just had to shake his hand and hurry and leave. Lamo. But I knew it would hurt to say goodbye to these people and this beautiful place and this teacher just really impacted my life. Good man.
My sweet sister in law arranged to have this cake and a little celebration. It was so kind and the family gave me some sweet gifts, a new camera, a book on CD, a book from Justine "You Before Me", GREAT chic flick that Justine, Sherri, and Frank and I saw together, a little figurine, my flowers, candy....
And this GREAT DELICIOUS cake that was SPELLED wrong in two separate spots and I thought that was the best gift ever. So FUN.
2 comments:
You are who you've always been, only now you're letting yourself sparkle and shine! This is so exciting - congrats to you! Love you!
Yay, Susan! My mom got her degree as a grandma, and we were so proud of her. I say it's a much harder achievement as a mother than doing it as a young, single person. You go, girl!
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