It’s A Wonderful Life

My husband graduated from Grad school. I am so incredibly proud!

The Journey

I was reflecting on this and I realized that he had been back in school for 6 years…6 YEARS! Wow! In the midst of getting his Master’s, he:

• Performed many concerts at CSU Stanislaus

• Promoted at Starbucks
• Became a coffee master

• Became a father for the first time

• Got his Bachelor’s degree
• Interviewed in Seattle for a position he had no experience in but he’s just that likeable
• Got hired as a Special Education teacher for students with moderate to severe disabilities (and guys, he totally rocks at his job!)
• A week after starting his new job, our baby girl was born.

• Before our children were ages 2 &3, he complete teacher’s college with a credential in both Mild and Moderate/Severe Special Education

• Took on extra duties at work like Saturday school, and detention to make extra income.
• Sang as a volunteer cantor at mass
• Won a talent show competition at our church
• Sang at a funeral
• He bought us a house

• And now before turning 30 he has achieved his Master’s degree.

The Surprise Hood

His hood came in the mail as a surprise the other day. We didn’t know you receive a hood for Master’s degrees. We mistakenly thought it was only for Doctorate degrees. It filled me with so much joy to see him put it on that I cried and I had to play this song:

God Provides

He did all these things while still making time for us, visiting family, going on date nights from time to time.

I am so very proud of him. It has not been easy. There have been countless illnesses that the kids and I have undergone, long days, sleepless nights, middle of the night hospital visits, financial difficulties, and everyday frustrations compounded by the stress of having so much going on.

But we wouldn’t have it any other way. Some people may have thought us foolish, getting married before having college degrees and then having two babies while living on a small income. But God provided. He always does.

Like George Bailey

I titled this post “It’s a Wonderful Life” for a reason. The first reason is, just like in it’s a wonderful life, we have been so blessed by our friends, family, and community along the way and we couldn’t have come this far without them. Just like at the end of the movie when everyone comes to contribute money to help George Bailey.

The second thing is, you see, in this life sometimes it’s our time to shine. It’s our time to graduate college. Land an amazing job. Get married. Buy a house. But sometimes it’s someone else’s time. Sometimes it’s your turn to be the wind beneath someone else’s wings. To support them and cheer them on. Like George Bailey. He did all these little things that seemed unimportant. He wasn’t very good at achieving personal success, but he was good at blessing others. He saved his brother from drowning who later went to save people at war, helped countless people buy a house, helped a friend preserve her dignity, took over his father’s business when he wanted to travel the world, gave away his honeymoon money to tie people over when the bank was in trouble. He sacrificed everything for the sake of others. I am definitely no George Bailey, but I can relate to how he felt unimportant sometimes being in the background. Sometimes, in this world, your value is only determined by tangible achievements. I think some people may pity me because I have been doing the work at home so my husband can have his degree but I tell you this : in the end you see, that “all that you can take with you is that which you have given away” and I think there is no greater joy.

Congratulations, my dear husband. Your journey to degree not only shows how brilliant and dedicated you are, it is also a testament of God’s provision and it glorifies God. You ought to be so proud. I dedicate our wedding song to you.