Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart 13

Today I am thankful for my education.  I am very fortunate to not only have a high school diploma and a Bachelors degree, I also (as of recently) have a Masters degree. 

My family always stressed education, even from an early age.  Not trying your hardest or not being prepared was simply unacceptable in my house.  I am very lucky that so many people in my family have college degrees and encouraged me to pursue my own. 

Before moving or buying a house, my mom always considered what schools were in the area, because she knew I had to go to good schools where I would be challenged.  She and Wayne even enrolled me in private school for high school, because they knew my classes would be more rigorous and would better prepare me for college.  I honestly think 100% of my graduating class went to college after high school (and I think a large percent graduated from college and have higher degrees), so it was always expected of us to want to keep learning.  My high school teachers were not only concerned about giving us the best education they could, they were also concerned with teaching us to live the Catholic life.  I didn't realize until I had my own classroom how freeing it is to talk openly about your faith. 

I am thankful that I could attend a great university that prepared me to go into the field of teaching.  I had amazing professors who were not only knowledgeable, but really cared about us as students and helping us to succeed.  Many of my professors got to know us as people, not just people who sat in a classroom three times a week.  I am also thankful for the other girls in my classes.  We supported each other, not only in the classroom, but in life as well.  I still turn to them and know they will be there for me. 

I am thankful that the Masters program I chose to dive into was flexible enough for me to not only teach full-time, but also coach.  The program being mostly on-line let me go through assignments and lectures when I was able to, rather than have to build my life around a class or a test. 


I am extremly thankful that I got through all of my education debt free!  I know so many people who, even after 10+ years, are paying off student loans.  I was really afforded a luxury when my parents were able to pay for my high school education, college education, and even help me pay for my post-graduate education.  Looking back, that shows how much they valued me getting an education, and they were willing to save and sacrifice to make sure that happened.