Education

So if you are reading this and you are in college and you have no children....STAY THERE, FINISH, GO FORTH AND EDUCATE BEFORE YOU GO FORTH AND MULTIPLY.

That being said, I wouldn't change the order of how I did things for anything. My children are so amazing, and I wouldn't give for exactly who and what they are!!! I do have to acknowledge that I am doing things the hard way though. When Kaitlin was born, 7 years ago, I dropped out of school for the meaningful job of "stay at home mom" and I haven't regretted it. I started to go back at least part time when Kaitlin was a little older, but then sweet Jonathan came and (along with other reasons) we put it aside again. And again, no regrets there.

For the last year I have been attending school on line, not seeming to get any closer to that coveted degree! I have wanted to teach (and be a mommie) for as long as I can remember. I never answered "What do you want to be when you grow up?" with anything other than Teacher and Mom!

So here are some plans. I could complete my BS in General Studies. I only have about 40 hours left there. However, I would have to go back and do a post-bac program of some sort which would tack on an extra year (at least). I could finish up online at SFA which would take about 2 years. However, I recently found out that if I go through them, I cannot student teach locally (all the approved sites are in East Texas). I'm looking into one other program that might allow me to do part online and part on campus classes and student teach locally, but that program has not even started yet.

I am a stay at home mom with 1 1/2 years before my youngest goes to Kindergarten (which is when I would ideally student teach). I live 60 miles from the nearest University which makes commuting a difficult (although obviously not impossible) situation.

I am blogging all of this, because this is what has been weighing on my mind the past two weeks. This has been a difficult semester. Charles is taking 15 hours (15 tough hours, I might add). I am down to just spanish until th end of December. Charles is also a GA (and let's not forget the obvious - Full Time Pastor!) I have started working for the after-school program here in town which takes up more hours than you can imagine. I only work on the clock for 31/2 hours a day (5 days a week), but I work on lesson plans many more in addition to that. Me working has caused some fairly major adjustments for us...including wearing dirty clothes and brutalizing the environment with our paper and plastic ware! Charles and I are busier than we've ever been, and it is taking a toll on all of us. Even Kaitlin and Jonathan seem busier! There is only one month left in the semester. Surely we can make it.

The kids are both doing great! They've been champs about all the adjusting (for the most part). Kaitlin is whizzing through first grade. Her favorite books right now are the Ramona books and Katie Kazoo Switcheroo. She also re-reads Junie B. and Magic Tree House a lot even though she has finsihed those series. Jonathan is in Pre-K. I am doing that at home as I did for Kaitlin. He has mastered all his letter sounds (except U some days) and is moving ahead in reading readiness. He has recently started coloring in the lines which makes for some beautiful artwork. He does everything in Rainbow right now! HIs birthday is the 19th. He will be four. He requested a Charlie Brown party at the skating rink. It will be a lot of fun!