Back to School at AIU

Well, I have been thinking of going back to school for a long time now, and watching my husband work on his degree for the past couple years and decided it’s my turn to do something for myself.  So, I am now enrolled in school and will begin my first class the first week of February.  Yes, its a little scary to think about since its only been about 22yrs since I was in high school but it is necessary for me to be competitive in todays job market.

I have been online looking up grants and scholarships for women, GA residents and undergraduates and have applied for a few but haven’t got much money yet.  SO, I am also doing student loans and hoping to push through both my Associates and Bachelor degrees over the next couple years.

If you have recently returned to school and have any advice for me on how to manage my time, where to go and apply for student loans, grants and scholarships, I would greatly appreciate your help.

My daughter Taylor has been a big inspiration for me as well to get back to school, she does so good in school and she just loves learning and doing things. I want to show her that mommy can go back to school and do it as well, also I want her to know that it doesn’t matter what age you are, that you can always still follow through with your goals.

I am open to any advice you may have for me, so please feel free to comment..thanks again and I plan on getting back to my blogging for 2010..

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We enjoyed a long relaxing weekend for the 4th of July.  It was good to sleep in and hang out at the pool with my daughter. We cooked out and watched movies and even did an evening swim and watched fireworks from the pool as neighbors put on their own shows.  We didn’t get to go out to watch fireworks as my husband was working on 2 college classes that were both due out Sunday evening, but we still enjoyed our time.

Oh, I also did the fire pit and lit the pool and backyard up with the torches and so it was all very laid back and relaxing.   Something I have realized over the past few weeks with my daughter out of school, is that I enjoy just being a mom and not always being stressed out by work.  I have been doing some re-organization around the house getting things in order and just spending time with my daughter.

I don’t know if I am supposed to feel guilty for not wanting to be working and making money, usually I am stressed that business is slow and that I am not contributing enough to our home. But I am contributing every day by taking care of our daughter, the house, our three dogs and doing what ever work comes along, so I have become content with being here for my daughter and just being mom for awhile until school kicks back in and then I will get focused back on work but right now it just feels right to focus on her for these next few weeks.

Time passes us by so fast, it seems like she was just a baby not to long ago, so I think its important to make time when we can for our kids and so being out of work can both be a curse but also a blessing if it brings me closer to my daughter.  I think some times we lose focus on the important things in life, nothing is more important than our children and our families, so if we struggle a little bit it won’t kill us.  Luckily we are not like some families whom have lost homes, cars, etc..I am out of work but my husband is working and I get some HUD and appraisal work from time to time and so far we keep it balanced out, our daughter is still going to her private school so its not so bad for us.

We have spent this year focusing on just paying off our debt and trying to be prepared for whatever comes along and we are not well off at all so we have to save and prepare because you never know what will happen in todays economy.  

Well, I have said enough about that stuff, so hopefully everyone had a great weekend as I did and lets look forward to many more and please remember that family is everything no matter what you go throug h or what you may lose as long as you have your family by your side you can make it through anything and tell your kids and spouse you love them everyday..til next post!!

Well, so far its been a pretty smooth summer break..Yes, I was a little worried over 9wks with my daughter over summer break, but so far we have kept busy going to the gym, then hanging out at our pool and hitting the water park once a week. 

Yesterday, we went to Stone Mountain park and did everything we possibly could do in a day, we hit the 4-D movie, road the train, took the trolley to the top of the mountain, Taylor rock climbed, we did the Sky Hike which was to scary for an old girl like myself, and we went to the Great Barn for a good shoot out..So, it was a fun filled exhausting day but so special to have that time with my daughter just hanging out laughing and spending that mommy, daughter time.

Last week my daughter was in Vacation Bible Camp and that did offer me some time for myself and Taylor has spent a weekend with her grandma and a night with her cousins and even did her first girlfreind sleep over. So, its been a good summer so far, we have had some moments of stress and needed breaks but overall its been good and I think we will spend time at the pool tomorrow after a long day today doing doctor’s appointments and renewing my drivers license as well as running other errands.

So, hopefully if there is anyone else out there who is either enjoying or stressing over the long summer break with the  kids, you can always leave me your comments on what’s happening with your family.