University of Cincinnati Graduation Day

Graduation day has come!  The children have been counting down the days until Graduation, Caily tells me she has plans to throw the party of the century. This includes things such as going out to dinner, going to Menchies (Ice-cream shop that sells Dairy free Icecream) Jumping on the bed, riding bikes and such. I assure her that we will do all those things in our newfound time.  It is two nights a week I am gone from home before dinner. Rod cares for all their needs and puts them to bed and they are snug and dreaming before I come home.  On the other nights, as soon as they get to bed I am studying for it is the only quiet time, and admittedly it is not enough time...or I would  graduated with a 4.0, I won't and that's ok.

I look forward to having less distractions on my plate and being home for awhile to enjoy the little ones more fully.  I look forward to being able to linger a little longer at bedtime, and to be able to tuck them in every single night once more.  Its been a journey, this degree.  One I don't regret, but also one that was challenging at times. I will never forget the many times Rod and I met in parking lots to exchange vehicles and the children.  Dinners were often made in crockpots and rice cookers to be ready for Rod when he came home, and sometimes there was fast food.  It was challenging to be so pregnant and in school, because often I wanted to sleep instead, but we pushed through together and just last year Ollie was born during finals week. He got me out of a brutal final exam in fact :).

Sometimes we couldn't do things, often there were school events on the evenings that the kids had to miss, and things I had to miss too. I actually called the school and asked them to move Caily's parent teacher conference to the day, so that I didn't miss her first one ever.  And yet, I learned a lot, about a lot of things, and will graduate Suma Cum Laude with my Associates degree.  Just a few more degree's to go! For now, we take a break and enjoy the time as a family.