8 Year Plan: The Conclusion

Well it has been a long road but it is finally over. I have completed all of my coursework to graduate from college! It may have been an 8 year plan but at least it was a plan. That has been my motto for the last few years after becoming a wife, a mother and with Chris' military schedule, school took the back burner. I like to say "life happens" and it that is exactly what happened. After two years at Bowling Green I got married, had Audrey and then school was the least of my worries. After a few classes here and a few classes there when I had time to take classes I wasn't getting anywhere fast. But this was something I had to finish. Not for anyone else, not to prove anything to anyone, not to land that million dollar job but for me. It was something I needed to finish for myself. Plus I had a lot of money and time invested in this already so I was determined to get this done. So after bouncing around between majors and  transferring to Lourdes a more "non traditional student" 4 year school I got in the groove. At Lourdes I was one of the younger students in class of generally 15 people and I could go to campus 2 times a week and still keep a full load. Exactly what I needed with the schedule I was about to take on. 

It was January 2, 2012 and Chris left again for deployment. He was home for Christmas on leave and it was great but now he was leaving again for 9 months.  We all know how that went down as I believe it was my first blog post. So I laid in bed for a day feeling sorry for myself but had to get back up and that's exactly what I did. Two weeks later I started back at school after taking a year off. I had a full school load, worked part time and had a very energetic 3 year old all while Chris was deployed. Here is my 8 Year Plan blog post from almost a year ago when I first started classes... 8 year plan. While it got kinda messy sometimes going back to the school was the best decision I ever made! That semester while Chris was gone I made the Deans List and the groove continued into my accelerated summer classes where I also banged out 3 A's. Still not sure how I did all of that! Through a lot of tears and determination I think. 

Anyways here it is almost a year later and Chris is home from deployment, I just finished up my fall semester (probably on the Dean's List again) and I have my bachelors degree! Well, not officially yet but all of my coursework is finished and here within a few weeks I will have my bachelors degree. So for now, I have it! Chris supported me and my decision to go back to school all along. He knew that this was something that I needed to do for myself and although there were times he had to listen to me whine and run on only a few hours of sleep he was my biggest cheerleader! Along with my parents and their support I finally finished this up... maybe 8 years later but at least it is done.

So now what you ask? Well, now I am excited to spend the holidays with my family and concentrate on them without having to do research or work on homework. For a year straight now this has consumed my life and now I am excited to just work and spend time with Chris and Audrey. I may start looking for a job here coming in the new year but for now I am content where I work. It may be a serving/bartending gig but it pays great and the hours are amazing and I don't have to work at night. But that won't last forever and soon enough it will be time for that 'big girl job"! Also, now that school is over we would love to add onto our family so we will see where 2013 takes the Miller family. And eventually I would like to go to grad school... all in good time though. For now, it is time to enjoy the holidays and enjoy Chris being home :) Thank you everyone for all of the love and support during one of the most hectic years of my life!