Degrees well earned

When I was a young girl I dreamed of being a nurse; my mother was sick all of my growing up years and I wanted to be able to take care of her.

In those same "playing" years, playing school always provided great fun; I especially liked being the teacher, sharing with my "students" made up of stuffed animals.

I even enjoyed making up dramatics and acting them out - never in front of any kind of audience - only pretend.

And cooking, something I tried to learn at a young age; my dad graciously ate the pie filling and left my first homemade pie crust I made for him without a negative word.

When I grew up and it came time to chose a field of study, I chose journalism and eventually received Bachelor degree.

And life continued and I earned my MRS. degree and later my MOM degree.

And with these two additional degrees I have been able to incorporate my interests in nursing, teaching, acting and cooking.

Throughout the years, I helped heal many scrapes and scratches with loving kisses and a gazillion band-aids, some of which were used for broken hearts.

(The one broken bone and stitches were turned over to the one holding the DAD degree because honestly, the nurse in me can't bear the sight of blood.)

The teacher in me came out during the very young years of my children - and I pray that they will always remember many of the things they were taught at home - to be caring, thankful, polite, to tell me they love me (and to flush the toilet, use their manners, and to replace the word "fart" with "toot" as they were taught early because mom doesn't like that word.)

Those kids are now at the ages where they are educating me on many things - and some of it scares me and the other part is too far over my head for me to ever retain.

I have used the dramatics many times as well since earning my MRS. and MOM degrees. There have been many emotions I have hidden through the years - and many emotions that have been heightened. As happy as I was for my kids to each reach school age, and eventually leave for college, inside it made me sad that they were no longer my babies (a hidden emotion). I try to hide the worried emotion, always praying for their safety, but they know me - "Ah, mom, you worry too much," rings in my ears.

And the cooking interests from way back when, have been expanded greatly and have cemented my space at home - they won't be kicking me out of town 'cause they would all go hungry without me around. (Sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad 'cause sometimes this extra ordinary woman with the three specialty degrees comes home tired and doesn't want to cook but wants to be cooked for.)

I feel fortunate to have the three degrees I have - they have allowed me to feel real educated in a lot of areas. My learning isn't done, though. Someday I will have the GMA degree as well.