My School Experience :( :)!!!

Matthew asked me to marry him and I thought, "Oh no, here I go..." And we got married. And we were happy and still are very much.

But I said soon after we wed: "Matthew dear, I am NOT going to have a child until I graduate college."

"Okay," he replied.

Three months later I was pregnant. My first reaction: Uh-oh. Matthew's reaction: complete silence for a few minutes. We were totally and completely surprised.

I tried to continue on with schooling for a few months, but I couldn't make it to class anymore. I was too sick. I had to withdraw from school. I was very sad.

Then Matthew graduated from BYU and we decided to go straight to graduate school in Denver.

Again, my schooling had to be put on hold because of this. I couldn't finish in Provo anymore. I was frustrated. I knew that having this child was good, but I wanted to graduate and bad!

Then I looked up the Bachelor of General Studies Program from BYU. I fit most of the requirements and after waiting only a bit for the time frame, I was accepted into the program!

Now, two kids later, and eight years after I started school, I will graduate this April. I am so very excited. I have been waiting and working hard for years to graduate. It has taken a lot longer now with being a full-time mom and taking classes, but I have done it, almost.

I wanted to write this because at first when I had kids, I was disappointed about my education not being completed. I was glad to have my kids, but I saw my friends graduating and working, then getting married, THEN having kids. For a brief moment, I wanted that too.

Then I held my little Nathan after he was two days old and I felt a flood of love for him. I felt strongly that was the very reason I came into the world--to be a mother! Then I heard God promise me he would help me finish school, but this, being a mother, was the most important thing. And He has done it. In fact, I have been MORE blessed with my education now than I would have if I had graduated right away five years ago! I have felt that. I would never have chosen writing at that point in my life and wouldn't have known how well it fit me. So, for me, things have worked out the best they possibly could. I know God wanted to bless me the most He could even though I couldn't see it at the time--in regards to my education.

Also, I'm TRYING to say that because I sacrificed my family first, I know God blessed me even more with my education now than at first. Of course, it's not the same for everyone. Some people are supposed to finish school first, etc. You know what I'm talking about. This was just my experience. I just felt like sharing this experience for some reason.

If you read all this, you are either my very good friend or...something :)