Time Well Spent

As I type this last and final blog for this journey, I am experiencing a variety of emotions.  Sadness because it is the end and I have felt as if you all have been part of my family.  Happiness and joy simply because the late night homework sessions are over and that wonderful piece of paper will be coming in the mail soon that will elevate my ability to rise up in my organization.  But that piece of paper is much more than that.  It is a way of life for myself and setting the bar for my own children.  My children have seen the struggles that I have had to endure as a working mother and fulltime professional - fulltime student.  I chose to take the path that most do not want to take.....But I-We have accomplished what most will not.  WE HAVE A MASTERS DEGREE!!!!

Ok...enough of the mushy stuff.  Right?

I have always been an advocate.  It is by birth I believe simply because of my parents.  Choosing to get a masters degree in Early Childhood Studies-Early Childhood Public Policy and Advocacy to me justifies my ways of life and my dreams of seeing this field become a topic for all those that want to invest in our children's future and society.  Paying it forward is a practice I believe that all EC professionals experience in their line of work.




Learning throughout this past eighteen months has been a challenge and at times feeling as if I was on Easy Street.  I think putting the spotlight on the specific characteristics and skills that a person in Public Policy and Advocacy should have was a learning lesson for me.  I have realized that not everyone has to advocate for the same purpose.  Setting goals as a professional come easy to most but I found actually thinking of a goal and implementing that into a challenge was very difficult at times. But I overcame that feeling of a failure after posting them to the discussion the feeling slowly drifted away. 

I want to thank all of my colleagues and professors for the experience this past year.  You all have contributed to my ability to set future goals and to  move forward with new ideas that will improve my "village".  My future goal is to be a director of Marine and Family Programs at my installation.  I am going to make a difference in the lives of our military families.  I spoke of the African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child".  Just think if you did not have that one person in your community that did not give that piece of advice or that helping hand.....You would not have been that parent that your child looks at with so much love.  I want to be that helping hand....scratch that....I am that person.