..Oh the places you'll go..

It's a common graduation gift...Dr. Seuss's coveted 'Oh the Places You'll Go.' And while right at graduation, I did not receive one -- I eventually came across three copies of the book in my name.

First time reading the story -- I sobbed. That's normal, right? It's about this character, You, who is on the brink of their future. The book goes into them succeeding and following the right paths -- and through all of that, they WILL fail eventually, but to understand that life goes on. And LUCKILY you've got what it takes to make it through and succeed.

After reading the first time, it was clear, the book was obviously written with me in mind. OBVIOUSLY. Hahahah.

After high school...I didn't know what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. All I could think about was this.. "What I choose, I will have to do forever...and I dont want to do anything FOREVER." That logic didn't last long.

I went to a community college and found myself surrounded with returnee adults that were finally getting back to school after taking the last decade or two off. Most of them with families...they spoke of how it was hard to keep up with night classes and their full time job, but it's what they needed to do in order to succeed in fulfilling their educational dreams.

I wanted to be like the other kids my age. My dream was to attend a 'real' college..(because in my 18 year old mind, community colleges just weren't real enough). I wanted to go to school with my peers and I wanted to experience the 'college' lifestyle. I wanted independence and freedom and.....can we all just admit now, college allows you to live a pretty free lifestyle. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy..in fact, most said it would be hard. BUT -- I wanted it. So, I moved from my parents home in Topeka to Kansas City. I had already taken out a small student loan and so had my parents to help me go and fulfill my dream. Lived on the plaza in a fairly affordable apartment and went to school.

Sounds easy enough..right? Not so right. I was a full time student working two full time jobs. How the heck did I manage to do that? I'm not really sure. But, I did know one thing. I still wasn't sure where I was heading educationally and I knew that I was spending a HELL OF A LOT OF MONEY just taking classes left and right.

I joined the military because I had a calling to do it. I didn't think much about it before signing up. All I thought about was the fact that I needed education, didn't have to means to pay for it on my own......and the fact that I would have stable health insurance seemed like a selling point.

Within that year, I put my college life on hold, worked my two full time jobs to pay for rent and groceries, met the man I would choose to spend the rest of my life with, get married, join the Air Force and move across the Atlantic ocean to a foreign country I previously called home: Germany.

What in the world? Tailspin? Yes...totally.

During my two years in the Air Force, living a busy life, I made time to take a few CLEP and DANTES tests here and there and also managed to take a class right before my son, Kieran, was born.

....ok, I'll have to continue later..I've got a 10 month old wanting lunch. :) YUM!

(PART 1)