A Family Affair

Seventeen years ago, Chris and I graduated high school and started our college careers at Florida Southern College... because "that's what you're supposed to do."  And, while I am doing absolutely nothing with my major, I had an incredible college experience.  Florida Southern was definitely the right choice for me!  I would've stayed longer, if I could have.  

However, Chris does not share the same story.  School most definitely does not come easy to him.  After a year and a half, he dropped out of Florida Southern and tried his hand at Polk Community College, which didn't work out too well either.  So, he decided to try Florida Southern again.  This time, Florida Southern chose to drop him.  I will never forget that conversation.  (Let me set the stage...Chris and I have been "acquaintances" since junior high band.  We went to junior high, high school and college together...and played in band and served on band council all the way through.  While I did not "like" Chris as he "liked" me, our parents had become very good friends, so we were around each other a lot.  I should've known then, he was persistent.)  He called me one night and asked me to meet him at the old Books-A-Million.  He seemed very nervous as we drank hot chocolate. Then he sprung the news on me.  He had been "asked to leave Florida Southern."  I'm not sure what caught me off guard more:  him flunking out, or him thinking so much of me that he had to tell me personally.

Fast forward a couple of years....Chris and I got married (the back story to that is a whole nother post).  During that time, I had gone back to school and earned my Masters degree (which did not help Chris' confidence).  So, after a lot of thought and prayer, we decided to try again for the bachelors.  (Notice the word we.)  This time, Chris chose to finish his AA at what used to be Polk Community College.  Chris' college nemesis had been Math.  And, while he struggled with Math, I had been lucky enough to clep out of it.  After speaking to his Math professor, we decided I would "take" the class with Chris.  So, for a semester, two nights a week, we sat through college Math.  We came home and I retaught the lesson to him.  On test nights, he was so anxious he would drum on the desk, without realizing it.  So, I sat next to him while he took his tests.  Long story, short....he passed and went on to earn his AA!  Hallelujah!  This proved to be just the confidence he needed to get back on track.

With an AA, he was able to transfer back into Florida Southern.  Third time's a charm!  However, this time around, he was married and was working....and had a little boy on the way.  We certainly knew it wouldn't be easy.

And, finally, after 17 years....he drove off Thursday night to his last college class!  There have been many sleepless nights, many nights I felt like Edge Hall 201 was "the other woman", many tears, many sacrifices, many, many dollars paid for tuition and books, many mornings of Chris leaving telling the boys "I won't see you guys tonight.  Daddy has class"....but, in the end, it finally came down to Thursday night!  He left for class with his final Science project in hand.  About thirty minutes after he left, Warren came up to me and the conversation went something like this:

Warren:  Mommy, is Daddy doing his Science project now?
Me:  I think so, buddy.  I sure hope he does a good job.
Warren:  I hope his teacher says "Chris, you did not do a good job."
Me:  (puzzled) Why in the world would you say that, Warren?
Warren:  (smiling)  Mommy, I hope his teacher says "Chris, you did a great job!"

Seventeen long years and it really has been a family affair!  We've sat through college classes together, moms have come over to help on really long days, and the boys have been his biggest cheerleaders.  They say it takes a village to raise a child.  But, I'm not so sure it doesn't take a village to raise a grown up, too!