So I Did A Thing

So I did a thing on May 12. Well actually I did a thing on March 7 but the ceremony was May 12. 

I graduated from college. Lamar University Class of 2023!

It's been something that I have been pursuing for a while. I have always thought about going back to college to finish my bachelor’s degree. I started college like the rest of my friends when I graduated high school, but life happened, and I stopped going for one reason or another. 

In December 2011 when my husband graduated with his master’s degree, I made the decision to go back to school. So, January 2012 I started the pursuit to finish my college degree. One of the perks of working where I do is that they pay for employees to take classes, but they limit how many they pay for. When I started it was only two classes a year, one in each long semester. I had a grant for a while which allowed me to take three classes a semester but that was only for a short time so back to one class a semester when the grant ended. 

I was determined to finish and only stopped for one semester in 2017 when Hurricane Harvey hit, and I had way too much on my plate to even think about school. But it was during that time, my place of employment changed their policy for employees to take classes, it went from 2 a year to 5 a year, two in the fall and spring and one in the summer. It was that change that made me even more determined to finish this degree. 

The road hasn’t always been easy. There were many late nights studying and writing papers. Missed weekends hanging out with friends, taking trips or summer vacations. Classes that frustrated me and classes that challenged me. Classes that I needed tutoring help from my husband just to get through it and classes that I just seemed to breeze through. 

Fast forward to current day, eleven years later and I finally graduated. It all seems so surreal to me. This day always seemed so far away, and yet here I am.

I graduated on March 7, 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts and Sciences, and a minor in Communications. I also graduated with Summa cum laude Latin honors. I did it all while working full time, raising a family, keeping up a household, and watching my boys participate in whatever sports they were involved in. 

This journey taught me to believe in myself and to never give up, no matter what life throws at you. It also reminded me that I like to learn. I'm so proud of myself for not giving up! 

 

I did it!

 

My sweet friend, who is a professor on campus was waiting to give me a big hug.
 

Reece had baseball and could not come to actual ceremony but it didn't stop me from going to the field to get a family picture.

My four best friends and my cousin. Sonya, Wendi, Beth, Misty. Lisa, my cousin wearing the solid green dress flew in from New York just to watch me walk across the stage.

All Things Riley

It has been a while. I have been so busy this year and it really has flown by. Riley, as you have known him as R2 since I started this blog has had a big year. 

So much has been happening that centers all around him.  He started his senior year of high school in August 2022. He turned 18 in January 2023. Riley had a great Varsity golf season and received the THSCA Academic All State award. We went on his senior trip in April to Branson, Missouri so he could play golf at Payne's Valley and Top of the Rock golf courses. His Rocket Engineering class built and launched their rocket successfully, this was a huge deal. This upcoming weekend is prom and he graduates next weekend. Oh and he took a job for the summer in Oklahoma. He leaves the day after graduation and does not come back until August. 

My mama heart can not take much more. 

 But here are a few pictures of how his year has gone. 

 

 

 

Riley, your dad and I are so proud of all that you have accomplished during your senior year of high school. We have loved having a front row seat to your life. We are excited about what the future holds for you. You have been our greatest adventure. We love you!