Big sigh…almost. Tomorrow Eli and I will head to Denton to turn my dissertation in to the Graduate School. It’s a big day and the end of a long journey. Monday, I had my dissertation defense meeting and passed. It was amazing to have it completed but I do not really feel finished until I hand my paper to the graduate reader. That wonderful event will take place tomorrow, about 10:30 AM :)
In June, I will have been in TX 10 years. When I moved here in 2000 to continue my education, I had no idea it would take so long! Right after I graduated from college in December of 1997, I started working and also started working on a masters degree. I taught for two years in MS while finishing my masters degree and then started looking for a school with a great early childhood doctoral program. The two schools I settled on were the University of Alabama at Birmingham and UNT. A professor from UNT called and encouraged me to come to UNT and enter their Ed.D. program in early childhood education. I’ll never forget coming to TX with my Mom to visit. As she will tell you, I usually make good decisions, it just usually takes me a while! So, I went back home to Hattiesburg and finished the school year, the whole while wondering if I would have the nerve to really move to TX by myself and begin the EdD program. I came to McKinney in June to interview for a teaching position and was hired that day. The pressure was on! I remember that before I mailed my teaching contract back to McKinney, I went to Destin with my Dad. I walked and walked trying to decide what to do. Finally, I walked to a mailbox and dropped the contract in. Then, a really neat thing happened. It just so happened (thanks God) that my brother, David, and his wife moved to McKinney from Tulsa. So, I would not be as alone as I thought!
I started the program slowly since I was paying out of state tuition for the first year. I also began teaching in McKinney which turned out to be a really awesome experience. I taught in McKinney for six years , worked at UNT for 3 and stayed home Luke’s first year. My best friends to this day are from my years at Glen Oaks!
Even though I started out in early childhood education, in 2002 I had my first statistics course, fell in love and ended up changing my major to educational research (PhD). I was able to keep early childhood as my minor.
The past 10 years have really flown by. So much has happened…my brother, Chuck, died, I got married, and now, have three wonderful (well mostly wonderful!) little boys. I am such a different person than when I arrived in TX.
Most of all, I am so incredibly thankful to all of my family and friends who have supported me all these MANY years! No one ever commented on how long it was taking me (to my face anyway, haha). Everyone was always just so supportive and encouraging. This entire long winded post was really just to say THANKS!!!! The best thing about taking 10 years to finish a degree??? I am finishing with NO student loans!
I love you all!
6 comments:
Congratulations! What an accomplishment! Especially since you were working full time, being a wife and a mom of 3! I am impressed!
I am incredibly proud and amazed by you.
You are my sister. You are my hero.
I love you lots!
Your favorite Father-In-Law is so very proud of you. Not only of this accomplishment but who you are and what you do for your 4 boys and how you take care of them.
You are truly amazing. I am serious when I say, you are one of the smartest people I know and I am so lucky to call you a friend! Way to go and I cannot even imagine how happy you must feel to have it all behind you. Love you!
Way to go!! You're an inspiration! We're all so proud! Is it too lame to say what we all think--You go girl!
Dearest Celia,
Since the day you were born, I have been, and your dad has been, so very proud of you. Over the years, I have watched you grow and mature (as you are now watching your boys), and you have always made very wise decisions... sometimes exhibiting maturity far beyond your years.
Today, I am so very proud of you. You are independent, able to move about the world with much ease and confidence... You are very intelligent, thoughtful, sensitive, kind, and extremely good. Above all, you are a strong, Christian lady with values, character and integrity... And now you have completed your educational course with this terminal degree (PhD), that really began when you were 5 years old at a kindergarten, just blocks from our house.
You are MY daughter... I am proud of the lady you are and I am proud of your career accomplishments...
I love you more than words can ever say to you. (I have been and I always will be "watching you"... i.e., there for you, .... Celia Elizabeth.)
Mother
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