To new beginnings

I write this post in reflection on this last year and the changes that have occurred.  Although I am happy with being a mom to two handsome boys, a wife, a sister, and so on, I felt somewhat incomplete. I have a bachelor's in literature and have dipped into a lot of classical texts and had some wonderful professor's. I wanted more though. I just needed to figure out what it was I wanted. I have a great job teaching intermediate reading. My family may be dysfunctional at times, but what family isn't these days. But something was missing. I decided to go back to school, but needed to figure out for what.

I have always had a passion for reading. I remember scanning my Nana's bookshelves of thousands and thousands of paperback books deciding on which one I would sneak off the shelf and take to my room to read. I remember my late mother reading to my brother and I whenever she could. I was the kid who always, always, always signed up for the summer reading programs at our local public library and earned tickets to the Houston Astros games in the historic Astrodome and theme park Astro World. Reading for me was and still is a way for me to escape from reality for just a brief moment and become embraced with the story within my hands. Quite often I get caught up with my storylines and characters. I have been seen and heard laughing out loud, crying, and shown every expression possible. There have been times I have gotten so involved with my story, that I have to stop and walk away to take it in for moment before I can get caught up again. Once or twice I have closed a book due to being so mad at the context between the pages. I have thrown a book against the wall before because it upset me so much. I was upset for several days over it.

I have rule in our household. If the book is anticipated to be made into a movie, we cannot see it until I have read the book. For example, the Hunger Games trilogy, my husband begged to watch the movies. He was not allowed to until I finished each book for each movie. With Mockingjay, I will not see the first one until the second one is in theaters. Something with Divergent. I haven't read the series yet, so we cannot watch the movies. I think my husband hates me at times. The only exception was Maze Runner. I have seen the movie, but will be reading the series soon.

Recently, my students read Legend as a class and we really got into it. They were upset I didn't have the second book ready for them to read. They were trying to beat one another to check Prodigy out from the school library. I had a competition with some of my students reading The Testing trilogy. We compared and contrast characters, governments, storylines, and talked about how our world was heading in such a direction of a dystopian society.

After conversations with my school librarian, some few, but close friends, and looking into different programs, I decided to look into Library Science. I looked at what schools were offered it in the State of Texas and decided on Sam Houston State University. I applied to begin this past January, but the program was full and my application was resubmitted for the summer semesters. Growing up I never saw myself getting this far in my education. I've had a lot of people doubt me in not making it. That just pushed me more to do so. I was accepted to begin my master's the summer of 2014. Getting the acceptance letter was a huge deal. I can honestly say I am glad that I decided to go back to school. I am doing this for me and my boys. I am doing this for my late mother who wanted to go back to school, but knew her illness put strict limitations on and around her. She wanted to go back so bad.

I have visions of what I want to do with a school library. This program has been a start to a new direction in life and, again, I am glad I am doing so. This is allowing me to learn and grow both professionally and personally. I hope you will tag along with me through my journey through grad school. Here is to new beginnings!