I am officially starting my last semester of school.  Tomorrow I will begin a 8 week journey through the world of 3rd graders and then another 8 week journey in life skills.  I can't tell you how blessed I have feel to have the teachers and connections with them.  I know that it is only the Lord's doing.  I am nervous but confident that He is forever taking care of me.  This semester has been 10 years in the making.  It was 10 years ago this month that I was in my last semester of my high school life.  I was thinking of prom, senior pictures, college life and GRADUATION!  I remember thinking that I had life all figured out and knew exactly what my life was going to be like.  I would graduate with a psych degree in 4 years from SHSU.  I would meet my husband in college and get married after graduation where I would proceed to have the most fabulous life, kids, house and job.  Boy was I wrong!! Not only did I not go to SHSU, I did not meet my husband (yet) and definitely did not finish in 4 years.  I went the other route.  I applied to ACC, where it took me 6 years to get my associates degree.  I lived at home for the most part, worked alot and would occasionally go to class (hence the 6 years to get a 2 year degree).  It through these 6 years that I met amazing people and finally figured out what I wanted to do.  I knew that I was good with children.  My experiences in working with them led to figure out that I was supposed to be involved with them.. Teaching though, was not in my book.  My mom taught and all I could think of was the endless time I spent at the school while she prepared for the next day and would grade papers, etc.  At that time, I did not understand the dedication that it takes to be a teacher.  All I saw was that I wanted to be home at 4 so that I could watch Animaniacs.   I wanted to be home, veggin' out on the couch, not in my mom's room doing my homework or helping her grade papers.  I wanted to be playing outside or riding my bike and not doing whatever project my mom could think of that would help her and keep me entertained.
  I did NOT want to be a teacher.  Through my years off and on at ACC, I began to realize that I was good at teaching.  I could get kids to listen and was able to get a point across.  This made me start to really think about what I could do with teaching.  I looked into schools and found that HBU had an awesome child development and psychology department.  As you can see, I was not convinced that teaching was for me.  I looked at UH and UHCL but only applied to HBU.  I don't recall thinking that I wouldn't get in. What I didn't think about was how I was going to pay for it.
Anyways, I applied, got in and got financial aid for my full tuition.  PRAISE GOD!! I had quit my job to go full time and really didn't know how I was going to afford anything.  But, I got enough money to cover books and everything.  I started to get the idea that I was on the right path.  I took a class that was called schools and learning.  It is basically a class that gives you a little insight into teaching and the education field.  It was the start of my moment of clarity.  The class made me realize how much I love to be in the classroom.
I loved knowing that I was helping someone learn something new and the thought of doing it everyday really excited me.

I can't wait to have a classroom of my own.  I can't wait to see smiling faces and receive warm hugs and see grateful looks on those beautiful little faces.  I can't wait to be get to nurture learning and show them how fun learning can be.  But I will wait.  I will wait and enjoy the free advice and criticism of those that have been in the "trenches" for a while.  I will listen to what they have to say and take in all that I can before May.  I utilize the wealth of information that I am surrounded by through the many friends that are teachers and my mom.  My mom is the one that inspired me to keep going through school.  She spent endless nights doing homework after she had put her three kids to sleep.  She hauled me to school and had me sit in the library when I was too little to be in school and there was no babysitter.  She would miss seeing my dad when they only crossed paths between work and school schedules.  She never gave us any less attention but was dedicated to achieving her dream  She is the reason that I stuck to staying in school and am finishing.  Through it all, the fact that she finished school with a husband and three kids stuck with me and I knew that if she could do it with all that, I could finish with no husband, no kids and the love and support of two of the most AMAZING parents!

I have so much more going through my mind, but the time has come to sleep...for I have a big day tomorrow!

Until next time..
Mir