3 Weeks Left!

There are only 3 weeks of school left. Then I will have completed my first year of grad school. It has been a long year. I haven't had time to spend with my children like I would like. I only saw them about 2 days a month when we didn't have school or work. Yet, we made it. I have decided that I will attend school part-time for the next 2 years for many reasons. Number one is to give me a chance to spend more time with the kids.

I have been asked many times how I have managed to get everything done this year. The truth is I haven't. I made time with my kids my priority and let everything else slide. Unless it had to be done, it waited until my kids were either asleep or not with me. I hired someone to clean my house every week so I didn't have to do it. We ate more fast food than was probably healthy but I tried not to worry about it. I did cook on evenings when we were home but didn't let myself worry about other nights. I called on my family and friends whenever I needed help. Sometimes it was just to let my dogs in or out of the house or to buy something we needed and leave it at my house. Other times it was to watch the kids when the babysitter was busy or when I needed to get an assignment done.

The kids have been great too. There were a few mornings that I laid in bed working on small assignments while they played quietly in the other room. They sacrificed time with me but hopefully learned that school is important. Jacob would complain that he wanted to stay with me but he also pretended to do his own homework. He realized early on that I really liked my internship and would often ask me if I was going to the job I liked. He still likes telling people that his mom is a police officer but he also knows that I really like my "other job."

This year has had it's sacrifices. It also is a year that my children and I will remember for the positive things. I proved to myself and everyone else that I can be a mom, work full-time and attend graduate school. I hope my children learned that the way to accomplish your goals is to work hard and that everything I do is for them. Graduate school and my career change is to make things better for us. No, I won't make more money. But I will have a career I enjoy and a schedule that matches our family's needs better.