Hello!

Well, if you read my last entry, you may have sensed that I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. However, things are looking much brighter this week. Although I really wanted to finish my classes and defend my dissertation proposal this semester, after several sleepless nights, I realized that that was simply too much for one semester. There is so much to learn in every class here, and I don't want to miss out on that or not give 100% because I'm so busy trying to get my dissertation proposal done in time. I also want to enjoy the dissertation process and learn as much as I can from the experience. So, I've decided to put my proposal defense off until the end of summer or even next fall. I'm going to focus on my research class, my independent study, and my research/teaching assistantship. I'm going to continue working on my dissertation proposal, but I'm not going to put the majority of my time into it. I will start spending a lot more time on it once my classes are done in May.

Throughout my doctoral education I've learned that sometimes I need to make sacrifices, and that I can't do everything and please everyone at the same time. It's been hard, being a single mom, working, and going to school full-time. I think my son will be happy when he starts seeing me sitting on the sofa someday instead of glued to my computer, however, he is also happy now that I'm able to volunteer in his classroom every Monday, read to him every day, do his homework with him every day, and listen to his stories and jokes. I've learned to live in the present and enjoy where I'm at. I understand that I'm going to school to prepare for my future, but I'm also loving the process of going through the program, attending classes, and getting to know the people here. Although I will be happy to start earning a larger salary instead of borrowing student loans, I am very appreciative of my time here.

Feel free to leave me a question or comment! :)