I am the master of.....

1-4-11

Today was the day. I woke up full of excitement at getting to go back to alma mater to start my masters degree...even if the visit was only a check-in with my academic adviser. I got dressed, yep jeans and a t-shirt...hey I am a college student again after all, dropped off the kids and headed to the interstate. My confidence was high! I spent a couple years there, sure I expected some changes, but i am the mother of 4 kids so I'm not easily intimidated :) The drive there was a piece of cake, my swagger wagon did it on almost autopilot. I'm minding my own business, radio loud, I may or may not have been singing along :) I pull into what used to be my standard parking area and this is where I realize some things might have changed!!

#1....parking is now all metered....gulp, no more free parking, man this education is getting more expensive, I wonder if the cost of parking there night after night, week after week, can be added to my financial aid. Alrighty then, I pull into a parking space, oblivious to the fact that one of my greedy snot noses fab 4 has swiped almost all the change I had for milk at school. CRAP...... Do the meters take pennies? Ok, no sweat, my mother always taught me to keep a quarter in my wallet for an emergency phone call....from a pay phone, does anyone else remember those or am I dating myself? And yeppers, I still have one!!!! So I scrounge together a few nickles, maybe a lowly dime and I am good to go. This meeting better be quick...I got 45 minutes in my meter!

Obstacle 1.....OVERCOME!

Purse and school bag on my shoulder, swagger wagon doors shut (if you know me at all, having all 4 door actually shut can be a pretty big deal) and locked, confidence still high, off I go to Master the world!

#2 VERY BAD change.....there is a chick-fil-a...on campus...connected to the education building.... and we have already established that I HAVE to bring money weekly to pay for parking.....OH THIS isn't going to be good, just another "cost of education" to add to my financial aid!!!!

obstacle 2.....ignore Chick-fil-a sign (at least until after end of February)

#3 Um, wait a minute, where do I go now since they changed and added LOTS of new buildings? Ok, I will not look like a lost lonely student...I can conquer this. I look up and yes the education building, is still the education building...whew!

obstacle #3.....no problem!

#4 I arrive at my second floor destination by way of the stairs...yep, getting my exercise...really I did see the elevator and choose to NOT use it! I locate the correct room and door. I am greeted and introduce myself....only to discover that I am 45 minutes early.....W.H.A.T?????? Since when am I early for anything?? Okay, wait, way to make a great first impression, maybe it will never come out that I am a crazy mother of 4!! OH NO!!!!! I only have 45 minutes in my parking meter.....do I admit this or sit quietly and wait it out hoping I will get called early or at the very least no one will notice my expired meter?

obstacle #4...hope for the best and text to pass the time :)

#5 I am NOT called back early and I will NOT worry about it! I am finally called back, confidence still in check and worry over yet another added education cost in the form of a ticket, replaced by excitement to finally be advised. I walk in to the inner chambers of my academic advisor with her doctorate degree. I have my classes precisely picked out for the best nights of child care and activities and scheduling! Dum, Dum, Dum.... the classes I have picked, while they have no mandatory prereq....it is STRONGLY advised that I take the unofficial prereq. 1 online class and 1 classroom class. AW MAN! Mr. Producers schedule is best right now for 2 classroom classes.

Obstacle # 5...learn how to drop/add classes quickly!! This is just a minor setback!!

On the plus side, I love my academic advisor and never once think of the incurring parking ticket I am sure awaits me!

#6 Time to talk money... There is a grant for people like me (no, not old mothers of 4 who decided to go back to school because they are dorks not being challenged by 3rd grade fractions)!!!! Woohoooo.....free money baby!!!! (Side note, I still have yet to pay a penny for undergrad loans on account of Mr. Producer and I have both never worked at the same time since we decided to embark on the joyous journey of parenthood....hint, hint...next blog entry in the making). So even bigger Wooohoooo free money baby because I need more student loans like I need more kids!... Oh, dear Farmer girl (no, My AA does not call me this :) I am so sorry, but while your 3.7 GPA here at the university was beyond impressive, your I'm an early 20 something and don't care about these classes at JC GPA, was a little less than impressive. This grant takes into account your overall GPA, so I am very sorry, but you do not qualify!

Obstacle #6 Guess, I;ll be too busy paying off my students loans to actually help my own children through college....sorry guys!

Meeting adjourned, schedule mapped out for the next year. My academic advisor has increased my faltering confidence by accolades of my GPA at the university my determination to accomplish all goals in spite of having a life.

I nervously head out to my car, by way of Chick-fil-a (which happens to be closed, thankfully) because I may need a "make me feel better" treat. And holy, holy, holy...the miracle of all miracles... I have NOT been issued a ticket on my much expired meter!!!

Excitement rebounding, I call Mr. Producer to tell him all about my day. I am at least a Master of the drive there and home, if nothing else. I have done this so many times, I can do it with my eyes closed, so I can certainly talk and drive..... Or maybe NOT!

#7 I am so busy chatting my dear husbands ear off, that I miss the HUMONGOUS signs that say exit now, and I end up going across the bridge to the other side of the bay!!!!!!

Obstacle #7...I don't know whether to laugh, cry or quit at this point! Someone just point me to home and my babies, where they won't know my mistakes and still think I am the Master of our home!

From my little city to a bigger city to yet an even bigger one to home....from confidence, to unsure to embarrassment to confidence again... From I am making the right decision to I don't even know what I am cooking tonight for dinner let alone to what I will be doing in 2 years to making the right decision again....I AM HOME! I see the house where my babies are safely tucked inside away from the cold and I can not wait to hug them and not be reminded of the mistakes I made.

I walk in the door, arms wide open to Little Momma, who instead of saying hi mom, says....Did you go over the bridge and you forgot to bring my bike!!!!!

Once again, I am reminded that I am the Master of nothing, that life is a constant learning process, but one that despite its many obstacles, I dearly love and embrace!!!!!

If you have hung in there this long and are still reading, then you, my friend ARE the Master of either love, reading or boredom!!!