Friday, December 14, 2007

I obviously did not plan ahead.

Well, Glory be! How time does fly when you're having fun!

When Ben and I were first married, we agreed that I would be a SAHM - a stay-at-home-mom. I had gotten my college degree in Finance and Systems Analysis, but never had a desire for a career. I think that was just God getting me ready to be content being a SAHM - it's all I can remember wanting to do. So it was no surprise that our first little blessing came along rather quickly - within the first year. I was thrilled. Then the second was born 19 months later, then #3 nineteen months after that, and #4 yet another 19 months later. That's four children in 6 years, and let me tell you, I was having the time of my life. But I'm also no dummy and knew when to quit. So I did. And then #5 surprised us three years later and while we were thrilled to have another son, we made sure we quit. Permanently.

Having a houseful of toddlers and small children is so much fun, but surely a lot of work while you're training them in the important endeavors of life, and my children worked with me every day in whatever I was doing - laundry, cooking, cleaning, gardening. We always grew a big garden, and told people we weren't so much growing vegetables as character. It was fun. The children being so close together in age was the best part. It was almost like having my own classroom full!

Home schooling was fun too, and each year we would discover how one child was different from another. One taught himself to read at age 4, the next didn't read until 7, another taught herself, the next couldn't read a word at age 10. There was always another adventure. And teaching them together was easy because I had one in every grade - it was easy to combine lessons!

Now fast forward.

Number one child starts community college at age 17. Goes on to UT for two years and struggles mightily. All but flunks out. We move to Virginia. Meanwhile number two child gets married. Number three child wants to go to college at age 16 and actually gets accepted into the School of Music at her first choice of Universities. Number one comes home and spends a year at the community college, changes his major, then transfers to the same University as number three, turning his degree program into a six year project. That's ok, we have two kids in college, but at least they're at the same school. That's nice. Number one will graduate in May. THIS May. That's important. Because now number four wants to start at the community college. In January.

Yes, folks, I will have three children in college AT THE SAME TIME from January through May.

May God have mercy on my bank account.

Be thankful ~

Karen

2 comments:

Mostly Sunny said...

I feel your financial pain... we've had 3 kids in college at the same time for the last 2 1/2 years (2 at Geneva College and one at East Stroudsburg), and My Boy (oldest) just finished today!!! Now comes the new stress of the job hunt. I figure in 2 months he'll be missin' the good old days of college!

Lisa said...

Oh dear. My sympathies to your bank account. My oldest starts college next fall, and I will have two in college for one year, but since I only have two, that's as bad as it will get, unless I adopt for real some of the teens I love so much...