Winter Break

A little about me first.  I'm a divorced single mom.  I work full-time in a dental practice but decided this year to go back to school to finish my degree that I started on a long time ago.  Looking at my life of working to just earn a pay check but not feeling full-filled and not having any benefits (especially for retirement) there was no other choice for me but to go back to school.  Earlier this year I tried to purchase a home for the kids and I and looked at the financial responsibilities involved in that.  I thought well let's see I already live from check to check and if some big financial repair comes up will I be able to take care of it without stressing out.  I also thought about the fact that I already live in a nice apartment and my daughter is in an excellent school district.  If I were to find a house that I could afford I would have to move out of our current neighborhood and I don't want to do that.

So here I am enrolled back in school with directing myself to the study of behavior science.  Yes....I'm planning on working with people.  Not just any people though.  I want to be a high school guidance counselor.  When in school before I was planning to be a high school english teacher but decided after talking to a few people working in the school system here in Texas and getting great advice that I would take myself to direction.  

Yesterday December 7th 2007 was the end for me in this term.  I took a Government, Sociology and Math class.  All my classes were online which was very convenient with having young children at home.  It was a lot of work of course.  Remember I work full-time and usually didn't get off work till 5:30 pm.  Then would have to pick the kids up and get us home.  They would have to eat dinner (of course), then I would have to help my 7 year old with her homework.  After they had baths, by 8:30 pm I would have them in bed.  I would give myself 30 minutes to relax or check email, then start my studies by 9:00 pm till usually 11:30 pm.  Friday and Saturday nights I would usually stay up working on assignments till about 1:30 am the next morning.  Crazy huh?  I did what I had to do because I have a goal.  Oh yes, at work during lunch break I would at times do some online assignments also.  Just writing this has me winded.

Working in a dental practice allowed me to have the opportunity to take exams on the days we were closed.  Usually one day a week the office is closed, but I would go in for 4 hours to do some work.  Either before or after my shift I would go to campus to take an exam at the testing center.  This has worked perfectly.  Their were a few times that I went on the weekend, usually a Sunday.  When that was the case my kids would spend the night with my mom.  

Okay so now it's December 8th and I don't have to do any studying and I'm quite happy for the break.  I still have to help my daughter with her homework, but at least it's not my own.  I will try to keep this updated on how things are going.  I'll even include what grades I earn and include a few personal things.  I welcome any suggestions or comments especially from other adults attending school that have family obligations as I.