What are you going to do now?

Hello, dear reader. My goodness it has been a long time, hasn't it? My sincerest apologies for neglecting you so. I do hope you can forgive me.

As some of you know, I was quite consumed until just recently with finishing my last semester of school. Way too many books to read, papers to write, projects to create, and presentations to give. It was an unbelievably rough semester, and it completely paid me back for all of the years that I just coasted through school without having to try too hard. I guess I had it coming.

But finally it's over. I took the stage, shook the hands, snapped the pictures... and soon I'll have another piece of paper to hang on my wall. And now I can add BS to my list of credentials (along with AA, AGS and AAS.) I know, I know. BFD, right? ;) But this was something that I had been working toward for a long time. So after all the years, and all the effort (and all the money!) I do have to take a moment and be a little bit proud of myself.

Being the overachiever that I am, of course I had to get my degree from the honors college. Sure, it cost me an extra thousand dollars in fees, and who-knows-how-many extra hours of work, but it was just one of those things that I had to do. And on the bright side, the Honors College graduation was pretty cool, and almost made it all worth it.

One of the coolest parts of the graduation was that the husband and wife that founded the honors college were there. We actually got to meet them, and shake their hands. That may not sound like such a big deal, but considering who they are and all of the things they've done in their long lives, it was pretty cool.

As we shook hands and prepared to smile for the camera, the Mrs. asked me "So, what are you going to do now?" I hadn't expected the question, but it didn't surprise me at all when I answered simply "I'm going to be a mom." I haven't been accepted to a prestigious grad school program or offered a job with some fancy company, like many of the kids that were graduating with me. But that probably has a lot to do with the fact that I didn't want or ask for either of those things. I'm not at all ashamed of or embarrassed by my answer. Being a mom is the most important (and most rewarding) job I could possibly have right now.

Sure, some day I may decide to go back for another degree. I admit that's always kind of been in the back of my mind. But for now, I would like my kids to know what it's like to have a mom that isn't always having to go to class or do homework. (I had them both while I was going to school, so that's pretty much been a constant in their lives.)

So for the last month I've had more fun than I've had in a long time. I've drawn pictures, played at the park, blown bubbles, watched Pixar movies, experimented with new and exciting dinner recipes, and played a lot of hide & seek and chutes & ladders.

It's been awesome.