A week before I was going to start college I was offered a job that I had applied for earlier in the summer. Randy's mom was terminal. I was nervous about college. I was offered a job that I would get paid a big paycheck. 40 hours a week at minimum wage. Yippee! It seemed silly for me to turn down a perfectly fine job to go to college. I should just start the real world right away. We would get married and live happily ever after. The end.
Kinda sorta. We are getting ready to celebrate 25 glorious years and am sure there are 25 more ahead of us. However, we have worked our tails off to get this far. I was a stay at home mom when the girls were small but for the past 16 years I worked part-time or full-time ever since.
Randy has worked two jobs most of our married life. Hard work has never hurt us and we have three beautiful children (2 in college!) and a nice home. But....had we had a college education I think our challenge would have not been so uphill. We would have had more opportunities. More choices.
That is why I have been telling my girls from birth that they WILL go to college. They WILL get that degree. No matter what they choose to do afterwards, they will have more opportunities. More choices. I'm not saying that it is cheap. Or easy. I know it is expensive. An investment, I always say. I know it is so much work. That accounting class about does me in.
Annie reminds me not to support failure. So I am trying to be an encourager and motivator for both of my smart, successful, beautiful girls. When you are 18 and 21 and you have around 50-60 years ahead of you that seems like a long time. This is your season to work hard and invest in your future. You both are beautiful and smart and well adjusted and healthy. Set your goal and work towards the prize.
While you read those text books and while you type those papers and while you paper mache that cylinder and speak Greek, please smile, and think of me (use your nice words). You will need important things like medical insurance and a retirement plan. If you happen to have a skill where you can get jobs that offer those benefits that is great. But those are getting harder and harder to find. With your work ethic and your diploma - the sky is the limit.
I love you both. You are both doing great! I am proud of each of you and so very proud to be your mom.
GO TEAM!
1 comment:
Girls-I agree with every single thing your mother said. I would give my right arm (okay, maybe my left) to have had my college diploma at 22 instead of 42. Mine was received with blood, sweat and tears--yours can be obtained with only sweat and tears. Get it while you're young.
Steph--I say that even though you went the career route instead of the college route, you still score BIG at the game of LIFE and you have a whole handful of really fantastic Life tiles! Congrats on 25 years :)
Post a Comment