The Monday after I graduated from high school, I borrowed the keys to my Momma’s car and went off in search of a job.  I had been working part-time at a pizza restaurant throughout the last few years of school but with my plans to move out on my own as soon as possible, I knew I needed to do something more than make pizzas for 40 hours a week.

New job secured, roomates found, and I was off to take on the world!  College was secondary, relegated to night classes paid for by working a second part-time job.  I did whatever I could to take at least one class per semester but knew at that pace there was a long road between me and that college degree.

Two years into this routine I decided that I was done with Tallahassee and at the invitation of my sister Cindy, moved down to Gainesville and started a new life down there.  Once again there was the full-time job, the roommates, and the part-time classes at night.  It was a tiring schedule that seemed never ending.  I became disillusioned and made the decision to stop taking classes and focus my attention on my job, but also on building a relationship with the man that would eventually become my husband, B-Dubya.

He had graduated with his bachelor’s degree before we met and while we were dating he went back to school for his master’s degree, encouraged by his previous professor and mentor.  He graduated, we married and very soon after moved out of state for his new job.  I was looking forward to being able to return to school myself with the hopes of earning a degree in English or even Education.  Those hopes were quickly pushed to the back burner when I discovered I was pregnant with our first child.  Less than two years after J-Dubya was born, we were moved back to Gainesville.  I wanted to go back to school but that was put on hold during the transition time with the move, getting settled back in Florida, my own new job and countless other distractions.

Once again, B-Dubya headed back to school.  This time on the dime of his employer and with the goal off getting his Doctorate.  It was too good of an offer to pass up and we were both excited at this opportunity.  I still looked forward to the day when it would be my turn to go back to school.  The years came, the Ph.D. was awarded, the celebrations had.  But my chance at college kept getting pushed back time and time again.  B-Dubya’s employer was having financial difficulties and he didn’t think we should take the chance of me leaving my job and potentially straining us financially if something were to happen at his company.

I was heartbroken that I would have to wait.  But I took the time that I had and used it to advance myself as best I could in my own career that had been building over the years.  The financial institution I worked at agreed to let me study and work towards several licensing designations for insurance and investment security sales.  This was a big deal for a girl who didn’t even have enough college credits to add up to an AA degree!  It took a few years for me to complete my licensing and training but I did it and I’m proud of myself for it. 

But in the back of my mind, no matter how many licenses I had, I still wanted that college degree.  Life, however, had it’s own plans and my dreams of a college degree didn’t ever seem to be a part of that package.  Life wanted to through me divorce-sized curveballs instead.  Life kept happening.  It keeps happening today.

I still dream of going back to school.  I don’t care if I’m 60 years old and sitting in a classroom filled with 20 year olds.  This is something that one day I will do.  I will go back and get that degree.  My turn will come.