Reflection

I have been told I would be good at writing a blog, but I never know what to write so I go years inbetween my posts. It's been a little over two years since my last post and I remember complaining about being in a funk. I posted a forum post from a class I was currently in. It was two years ago this week that I made that post, ironically that was two years to the day after I began college. So here we are four years from day 1 and I have 5 classes left.

         [To recap I got my GED at 17 because I was marrying my husband and was pregnant with our daughter. He was movign to GA with the AF and I wanted to follow. So no graduation, no ceremony, no cap and gown. I just got a letter in the mail with my name and the state of Oklahoma on it].

A few weeks ago I had a friend give me her cap and gown from UoP that she walked in the year prior. I glady took it to save money and put it in the closet. I noticed the cap had fallen on the floow yesterday and decided to get the gown and cords down to put on with the cap. I walked into the kitchen to show my husband who giggled and said I looked hott. [Like every other husband would]. What he didn't notice initally was the tears gently running down my face. I loked up and said with a big smile "I have never worn one of these". He wasn't following his reply was "ya I know a college gown is a big deal". It took about 10 seconds after noticing my tear to realize this was more than a *college* gown, this was my FIRST gown period. This black gown and cap is a HUGE thing for me. Have I officially graduated no, have I gotten to apply for graduation yet no, but I have a great GPA 3 psy classes left and 2 random 100 level filler classes..

I am going to graduate this summer I will have my last day of class August 13 and I will have a real degree, not one I took a test for and got sent in the mail, one I spent 4 1/2 years working my tail off for. Finally I can walk across the stage infront of my family back in Oklahoma and be proud of myself. This whole journey I blamed wanting to walk to make my parents proud, but here at the end I can admit that I am doing this because I felt like such a failure getting a GED. This is a redemption for me and it is completely personal to me.