Graduation Day!!!

I finished and submitted my final assignment at the end of July a few weeks ahead of the allotted 5 week final course.  One thing I hadn't realized until I was no longer having to work on homework and reading and videos each week was how much time I actually spent working on it each week.  I just thought it was all on Sunday evening's but I did the bulk on Sunday's with tiny tasks all through the week.  In the evenings now, I don't want to sit in front of the computer.  Perhaps this is why the blog has been so quiet. 

I was notified in August that my degree plan had been submitted and approved and I was officially ready to apply for graduation! Woohoo!!  Unfortunately, I put it off until the very last minute and then had trouble getting my online Lamar account to work properly.  Once I had finished registration I had to sign a statement saying I understood that perhaps my name would not be printed in the program because I applied late.  I was devastated!  I won't make you wait like I had to until December - my name was in there!

As the graduation date approached, I contemplated not going just because life was busy and was it really necessary.  Let me just say, I am so glad I didn't give into those thoughts and that I participated fully in this day.  The School of Education hosted a reception before graduation where they took individual, family, and group photos all for free! (I don't have any of them yet to share).  At the end of the reception, we all caravaned over to the location for the ceremony by police escort.  The entire campus made us feel so welcome and special.  Once we walked in, it had finally sank in that I had done it...I was receiving my master's degree today.  

My mom posted on Facebook how proud she was of me and all that I had accomplished.  Her closing remarks on her post were, "She stayed for the fight."  I have hung on to that for so long!!  I've decided I want a boxing mitt next for my new charm bracelet my husband and mom started for me for my graduation present.  Watch for a post in the near future entitled "Staying for the Fight" where I hope to tell my story of hope and staying for the fight.  It's a tear jerker!

3 of my favorite pictures from the day...