Etudier

I miss studying French.  I miss studying Greek.  I miss doing research.  I miss reading being on the "must do" list, rather than on the "do when you have a few free moments" list.  In short, I have to face the music: I miss school. I really, really miss it. I love academia--from the joy I feel when I get to lay out all of my new, fresh school supplies at the start of each semester (I LOVE school supplies) to the satisfaction I feel when I walk out of an exam, knowing that I have kicked its butt, to the giant exhale that arrives at the moment when that huge research paper is finished, saved, and submitted.

Now, if you don't know, then you should: I was accepted into a PhD program (and submitted my intention to enroll form), and was to have begun coursework last fall.  Last August, a week or so before orientation, I made the difficult decision to defer for a year (minimally), because spending time with my sweet son was just too important to give up (and, of course, we had just bought a house, making the prospect of paying for school-related items seem  incredibly daunting, not to mention the considerable loans we'd have to take for 3-4 years of classes plus a few more years for dissertation-writing).  It was a decision that I thought and prayed about for months, and, once it was made, I cried...and cried...and cried some more about it.  But, all that is to say the following: it was the right decision.  I love love to be in school.  I love almost everything about it (except for poor teachers and red tape).  And, even still, I love even more the time that I get to spend with my little boy each and every day.  He is a delight.

1. Flexibility
2. Opportunity
3. Making the right decision
4. School supplies (seriously...love them)
5. The entire Lenten season.  If you were looking for a reason to do some personal reflection, now's a great time to start!