To every thing there is a season

Next to getting married and having our baby, graduating again this year was one the of happiest and proudest moments of my life.

I am done with classes. I truly am.

I was fortunate enough to finish among the Top 3 of my graduating class.

In 2003, when I first graduated high school, going to college - let alone graduating from college - was an untenable idea. Nine years later, I have worked full-time, put myself through late-night classes, had an amazing man ask me to marry him, moved half-way around the world, had a beautiful baby, and completed over 100 credits and two Associates degrees in 2.5 years.

My life has been one big, happy roller-coaster ride that I would not exchange for the world. I am so thankful to God, for His blessings, and to my husband, our extended family, and all our friends, for their continuous words of encouragement and support.

They were the ones who poured fuel over my fire on days when I felt like I was burning out.
I could not have done it without them.

I am thankful, too, for this little munchkin, who patiently bore with her parents all 2.5 years of her little lifetime they were in school. She was a constant reminder of the more important things in life outside of books - stuff like food, baths, laughter, dirty diapers, and play-dates.

She looks so deceptively calm and composed in this picture. ;)

 

Me walking across the stage.

Oompa and Ooma - the BEST grandparents a girl could ask for.

With My Man ♥ I *love* him so much!!!

The daughter who did not want to take pictures.

My touch of pizazz to the Pomp and Circumstance.

I will always look back on this chapter of my life without regrets, knowing I did my best for myself, for my family. Knowing I pleased my husband, and made him proud. All that sleep-deprivation was so worth it, in the end!

"So, then, to every man his chance – to every man, regardless of his birth, his shining, golden opportunity…" - Thomas Wolfe.

Thank you, Ivy Tech!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Friday, May 13th in Pictures

The Program

The Graduate

The Graduate with Graduate-in-the-making.
;-)

The past 22 months "homeschooling" myself through college will always be remembered fondly as some of the most happy, challenging, and productive days of my life.

I'm thankful for my school, and for the generous scholarships they've awarded me.

I'm thankful for my husband, who has been my biggest fan and cheerleader the entire journey.

I'm thankful for my toddler, who reminded me often that Family is my priority when she comes near to gently close a textbook.

I'm also thankful for all my extended family, who believed in me, encouraged me, and inspired me to do well.

And my greatest thanks to God, for the greatest Gift - and every gift I have - from Him.

May the next year-and-a-half be as it has been, in the past.

Junior Year, here I come!!

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Summer, it's too soon to go . . .

Between Aaron's graduation, my summer classes, the Karen Kingsbury Book Party and Picnic, fun times with our neighbors (one of whom is from my parent's small hometown in Malaysia - what were the odds?!), hanging out, celebrating our 2nd anniversary, playing at Six Flags, going to The Muny, puttering in Montreal, catching the much-dreaded flu, and attending a friend's wedding in Wisconsin . . . you could say that the past few months days literally took on wings and disappeared.

The 50 degree weather during our time in Montreal and Wisconsin caught us unprepared, and caused me to lose some faith in summer. Amazingly, Mikaela appears *not* to have inherited any of my Southeast Asian cold-bloodedness in her.

Like her dad, she thrives in cool weather, but melts in the heat:

In front of the Notre Dame Basilica, sporting a sundress
on a wet and windy day (Montreal).

Melting like butter on a humid Missouri day.

Scariest thought about Summer being almost gone?
The knowledge that the days Mikaela remains as a baby are numbered.

I mean, c'mon.

Babies don't climb stairs, turn around, and celebrate by balancing precariously whist clapping their hands!

Toddlers do.

~ Mrs. Arcfide