Appeal

My Academic Appeal to have the Residency Requirement at Boise State waived has been APPROVED! Woot!

Next:
1) apply to graduate by Friday. This one probably won't happen in time. My Grandma passed away yesterday, and Corbin and I are leaving tonight for St. George for her funeral. I can still apply when I get back in town, I just have to pay $40.

2) get into the Comm 1313 class at NWACC (this is an 8 week accelerated course that will be from 5-10pm on Friday nights from mid October -mid December. It's going to be madness, but when it's done, I'M done! Totally worth the 8 week sacrifice.

3) transfer my credits from NWACC back to BSU

4) re-apply to BSU and enroll in ANY class I want. I just have to take 1 credit at BSU to reestablish a catalog year to graduate under (the catalog year my credits are under just expired). Take the course, pass the course, and

5) graduate!

Seems simple enough...much easier than re-taking 12 credits at NWACC just to do the same thing.
I am feeling very blessed this week.

Did you know that I didn't even need to be in that World Civ class? Yeah. Don't need it. Not right now anyway...eventually, for a bachelor's degree, I might. But not right now. not this week.

It was by no serendipitous occurrence that I happened to mix up catalog numbers when registering and ended up in that class, that happened to have the VP of student services teaching, who happened to have an assistant that is going through the process of graduating via distance education because of an unexpected move, who thought to research BSU to see if my credits added up to qualify for an A.A. degree five years later. Dr. VP just happened to have one cancellation in his 2 month booked schedule, that happened to be on the last day to file an academic appeal. Kasey happened to decide last minute to take a personal day off work that day and happened to be available to watch my children while I went to the appointment that day.
And now, I am so close to the end of this process, I can smell it.

I know an Associate's Degree can do very little for me career wise, but it is worth so much to me.

I was really frustrated one afternoon, wondering if all of the stress, sacrifices, and time away from my family was really worth it. I hate rushing out the door the instant my husband gets home. I hate leaving them with a lousy meal, I hate the stress of rushing to class, I hate giving up a date night to study, I hate missing enrichment to go to class. All of this for an A.A. Is it worth it? My brother, Scott, pointed out that it's worth whatever I value it.

This is like gold to me. It represents something finished, a closed chapter, a struggle overcome, perseverance, and just plain proof on paper that I am not stupid.

It's a door. With this step complete, I can finally move on with my education. I'm no longer trapped in a forever state of Transfer Limbo, watching my hard earned credits become less and less valuable. Do I want a bachelor's degree? YES. Someday. Maybe sooner, maybe later. I don't know, and I don't have to decide today.

It's almost, finally, totally mine.

Ours. It's mine and it's Aaron's, and it's Reese's, and it's Quincy's, and it's Corbin's. It's a lesson to my children that education is important and worth making sacrifices for. I'm doing this for me, but I'm also doing this for them.

I am very aware of the Lord's hand in my life.
He knows the desires of our hearts, and if we ask, He will listen, and He will help.