Masters Degree

Despite walking through graduation almost one year ago, I have still been working towards finishing my internship. Today, my final internship conference call is scheduled and I will be offically done with this chapter in my life. Soon I will have my Masters of Science in Rehabilitation Administration diploma in my hands.

It hasn't been an easy road. I actually started the program in 2002, almost seven years ago to the day. I got married the weekend before I started school and by August, I was preganant with Kaelyn. I had terrible morning sickness, had just moved to a new home, newly married, so school was the last thing I wanted to do. I made the tough decision to drop out of the program in September. I made the right decision but I did have regrets.

The opportunity came again to reapply in 2005. Kaelyn was now two, so I felt that I could manage her and studying both. This time, Kevin and my sister Tracy, decided to do the program with me. I knew their support would be priceless. Shortly after we started, I was pregnant with Kate. This time I had the support and knew I had to push through and get the program done.

My parents went above and beyond the call of duty in their support of all three of us. Once a month or so, they headed to Kansas City with us, and watched Kaelyn, my niece Lily, and then newborn Kate, all in a small hotel room, while the three of us were in class. We couldn't have done it without them.

We finished classes last year spring and then had to do our 400 hour internship. Mine was going to be a breeze, because I could do it at the place I worked. And then I quit my job. I had to rethink my goals and objectives and basically start over. I worked on my various projects all summer until I started my new job. It really helped me get things finished up.

Today. one phone call, and it will all be done. I am so excited and happy, I can't think of anything else. This has been a life long dream of mine and I am finally acoomplishing it.

I think it's time to start thinking about that Ph.D.