It’s November

Exam reading has been slow, but progress has not! My proposal to write a chapter for a forthcoming edited collection has been accepted, my committee work for SU’s writing program has been incredibly rigorous yet rewarding, and as the co-chair of our graduate student organization (CCR-grad circle) I have been an integral part to planning our upcoming conference on activism, rhetoric, and research. However, all the successes at school still pale in comparison to the smile on my son’s face when he wakes up in the morning. His laughter, hugs, and coos help me slip away from my academic world and into his. He grunts like a heavy-lifter while he stands proudly on his own two feet. The time has passed too quickly and it’s hard for me to believe that he’s 9 months old already.

It’s not easy being a student, teacher, mom, and wife but it is certainly rewarding. I often wonder if it’s clear to others that despite the time constraints, pressure, and chaos that it’s worth every minute. And, I really mean that…every minute of both school and family time is worth it. True, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. In fact, “people” have doubted my ability, questioned my choices, and even warned other’s about being my friend as I may syphon their time, but I have never worried about those “people.” Sure, I get tired and frustrated sometimes just like everyone else, but ultimately I know I have chosen this path and invariably, I have the support from the people I love, and that love me. It may be surprising, but there is nothing I’d rather be doing. I often wonder too, how many “people” can say that?

I never thought I’d be living in Syracuse, NY working on my PhD, married and with a child, but then again I was never one to daydream much. My life is fuller than I would have even had the guts to hope for. So, whether I’m hitting the books or hitting the playground…I am fully present.