Your Mom Goes To College

My big sister/bestie/my person graduates from college today.

College is so hard. Endless homework, projects, demanding professors, research, volunteer hours, labs, long lectures, papers, and sometimes even learning to BS your way through a whole lot of busy work. Getting through all these things takes so much time, effort and energy and often involves late nights and impossible stress. I felt this way about college as a single person, and I had no one to worry about but myself. I got to plan my days around what I needed and wanted and thought would work out best. My college days were about me me ME. 

My sister began her college career as a wife and mother of four. In addition to the college challenges of homework-induced late nights and impossible stress, she had a family to tend to. And if you ask me being a good mom is even harder than going to college... so I can't even imagine doing both at the same time. But she DID. Because she is superwoman, obviously. Kirstin's college days were filled with so much more than just thoughts of herself. She studied anatomy and physiology in the school carpool line while waiting for the kids to be dismissed. She had to tackle her own assignments while also making sure four little kiddos got their own schoolwork done... and got to soccer practice and ate dinner and took baths/showers and got to playdates, etc. Together Kirstin and Ty continued to raise a happy, healthy, incredibly successful family while balancing school and jobs of their own. And did I even mention she is graduating with straight A's? Oh and that she trained for and ran at least a dozen full marathons during these years too? I repeat: superwoman. What an incredible example of dedication and perseverance she is to her own children, me, and so many others who are lucky enough to know her.

My bestie is graduating from college today, and I could not be any more proud. It kills me not to be there in her cheering section. She surprised me at my own college graduation (click here for a recap of that magical moment!) and I so wanted to do the same for her, but today like so many other days I am rooting from afar and sending my love and to my sister who I am so ridiculously happy for and proud of. Congratulations Gee, YOU DID IT!