I may now return to my regularly scheduled life...

I realize that for the greater part of the past year I have been MIA from the blog world. I have pretty much lost all my followers who aren't my friends in real life, and while I have continued to follow blogs I have just been completely burned out when it comes to writing my own. I've made several attempts to re-enter the blogging world but have failed. Well, I think, for real this time I'm BACK!

Last Sunday, the weight of graduate school was lifted when my dad placed my master's hood over my head! I did it! I received my Master of Arts in Organizational Change and Leadership! It has been a crazy busy year! There were days that seemed so long sitting in class from 9am-7pm (on the weekend no less) and there were days were I wanted to throw my laptop across the room because I couldn't write another word of a paper. It seemed like it would never end, and now that it has it doesn't seem like it was all that awful. Funny how the perspective changes once we've gotten to the other side of the obstacle.

I really do have to thank so many for being such a huge part of this accomplishment:
First of all my parents who stepped up and paid for it when I lost my job and wasn't being reimbursed for it. :/ That was a huge blow, but I'm so thankful they paid for it... in return I am now repaying my undergraduate student loans for the next 14,583 years. But I am truly thankful and grateful for parents who were able to support me in my effort to achieve this goal.

Second, Will. I can not thank this man enough for being my piece of sanity when I was going insane! He has really been my rock. He's the one that's been there (almost in the trenches with me) to say, "You've got this!" "You made an A on that surely you'll make an A on this!" "Don't throw your laptop, that's not going to help anything!" In all seriousness, I don't think I could have done this without his words of encouragement! On our first date, I was already accepted to the program and knew that when August came it was going to be peddle to the metal for a year. I told him then if he wasn't up for being in a relationship with someone who was working on their masters and would have to sacrifice time with him to accomplish this goal then he shouldn't pursue this! He agreed but made it clear that he was in it with me and for me. Thank you so much babe! It means so much that you had my back then and always will. I love you.

Next, the grandmothers. While they may think that they haven't provided much support they have in ways they will never know. I know that they have prayed for me, encouraged me and are proud that I have achieved this success. They continually tell me how far my education will take me, something neither of them was able to achieve. They have been at every graduation, high school, undergraduate and now graduate school and I'm so thankful they were here to attend this special day!

Finally, my cohort. This special group of people were complete strangers a year ago and are now friends. We are a "family" bonded over long assignments, crazy professors, presentations and long Saturday afternoons in class. We have learned so much about each other and from each other. We are now going our separate ways, I don't think I will forget any of them. While we were only in each others lives for a short time, I know that each has made an impact on my life and I hope I made an impact on theirs as well!

I absolutely love this picture! It reminds me of class pictures from elementary school!

Well now that this part of my life is over, I may now "return to my regularly scheduled life." That will include spending quality time with friends and family, hitting up the gym like woah, and more frequent blogging since my life will (hopefully) consist of more exciting things than papers and reading scholarly journal articles. 

Blessings!

-MG