Ed.S Complete

Although it was about five years after I had originally planned on perusing my specialist degree, it is finally done. I had applied, been accepted, and even gone to a registration session at Piedmont in 08. When I learned that my scheduled classes would compete with my treasured family beach vacation, I regretfully opted to not begin at that time. I felt bad for not going ahead as scheduled. Little did I know, that it was a huge blessing for me to back out of that program. I would soon learn that I was expecting my second child and the due date would have been right during the whole specialist process. Someone was looking out for me!

I had not given much thought into another specialist degree program until my sister-in-law, Kim, mentioned that she might be joining her sister and some other teachers from her sister's school. I liked the idea of going with a group, eventhough half of it I didn't know yet. I also liked the time frame of one year. The bonus part was also that this was the last date that Georgia educators would be grandfathered in to the automatic pay raise- that was the little extra push I needed to say, "Sign me up!" I knew without the pay incentive, it would likely be something I would never have gone back to do. 

January was our start up date. We found our way to Lincoln Memorial University's satellite campus in Ducktown, TN. Over the river, through the woods, and around the mountain we made it for a total of 15 trips. When we started, it seemed like it was going to be forever before we saw the light at the end of the tunnel. It also seemed unusually cruel to leave our families behind and to have to be in class on our sacred Saturdays, but we grinned and beared it. 

While earning that third degree, we also created friendships and bonds that only come from being on 6 hour roadtrips and completing beastly assignments together.  We were teachers, mothers, daughters, friends, and sisters in Christ. Our stories were endless. Our laughs were deep belly ones. Our experience was priceless.

Thankful for His perfect timing in all things.