On Getting *our* Masters

Yesterday you walked across that stage and as I held my squirming, fussy seven month old, I screamed as loud as I could and then audibly said to all those in ear shot, “we did it.” And then immediately walked down those bleachers and out into the Georgia heat. 

When you asked two years ago if I’d be ok with you doing an accelerated Executive MBA program I instantly said, “yes! We’ll figure it out!” 

Ah. Naive optimism. 

I couldn’t have known what that “yes” would entail - a whole pregnancy and the new life we would bring into the world, an extremely busy job season for you that would have you doubling up on homework and work emails into the early morning hours and over the weekends, going through two separate three year old stages with our boys that would have us collapsing in bed from exhaustion most nights and the most unexpected new house that we moved into on New Years Day while you simultaneously fixed up our old house so we could become first time landlords on April 1. Not to mention that every three weeks you would work a full week, then go to school for the whole weekend then work a whole new week. 

In reality, these last 18 months almost killed us. We were exhausted and impatient and sleep deprived and our marriage was the collateral damage from the constant hum of movement in this season. More times than I count I thought about military moms and how the heck do they do it, because I truly felt like we were clawing our way to the finish line. And as much as I wanted to be the wife that you could look at and say, “she’s got this!” I did in fact not have it even a little bit, which was extremely humbling to have to ask for help and admit over and over that even my best effort wasn’t enough.

I honestly can’t say it was worth it, but I can say, by Gods grace and some very kind friends and family who stepped into so many gaps for us, we did it. And as you walked across that stage yesterday, I breathed a little deeper knowing that those days of long nights and even longer weekends are now over. I’m proud of you, I’m proud of us and I’m filled to the brim with gratitude that the Lord kept us and our family intact when most days it felt like it was unraveling little by little at the seams and sometimes at its very core.

I love you, here’s to the best summer of no homework, no weekend classes and lots of unhurried time re-learning how to be together (plus all the new house projects I’ve amassed, waiting for you to help do them).