Ugh

Once upon a time, before I had children.......I loved to go to school.  Of course, being a teacher I truly love to teach, but I used to love learning as well.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I often elected to take classes on campus even if an on-line was offered.  That's how much I loved going to school.

In the summer of 2006, we found out we were pregnant with the twins.  I was nearing half way through my masters program, with hopes of graduating and completing the program within one year.  In the fall I was still working and after a slip down the stairs at work and a blood pressure scare, Jason and I decided together that I would hold off on finishing my masters.  My point being that I have the rest of my life to finish that program, but I have nine months to get these babies good and healthy.  So while I continued working, I let go of one extra stress at the time......

It was, in hindsight, probably the best decision I ever made.  For the most part, the pregnancy was relatively healthy, and with about five weeks left to go before their birth, I stopped working as well.  My ankles were the size of telephone polls and I can't believe I ever wanted to wander around a college campus looking like I was twenty months pregnant.

It was a good decision.

So for the past sixteen months I have thoroughly enjoyed staying home with the babies.  The days are our own and we do as we see fit.  We go to the park, we visit friends, we chill at home.......and for the past sixteen months I really hadn't given that masters program much of a second thought.

Until recently.

In Michigan, you have five years to teach with your original, provisional certificate.  At that time, you must renew and most people go with their professional one.  In order to get your professional one, you must have eighteen post grad. credits.

No problem. 

Or so I thought.

I thought I had eighteen--in fact--I would have damn near bet my life on it.  But I only have fifteen.  I have already received an extension for my provisional certificate.....but before I even worried about it anymore, I signed up for an online class so I can just get the darn professional certificate and be done with it.  Are you following all of this?

Really, it doesn't even matter, since I am not working again this year.  But I signed up for the online class and since July 3rd have been regretting almost every second of it.

It's not that I can't do the work, because I can and I will.  It's not that it's terribly hard, although some of it is confusing.  It is a research class......with lots of terms and information.  Quantitative data versus qualitative data, variables, independent variables, random samples, cluster samples.......etc.

Ugh. 

And even thought I can and will complete all of this, I have just lost my motivation to learn this stuff.  It doesn't excite me anymore.  I'd rather be playing with the babies then responding to a group discussion. 

I gotta give up some major props to the mama's who work, go to school, and those super mama's out there that work and go to school.  Because this one little class is beating me over the head.

Off to work on creating a random sample.  Doesn't it sound fun?

Oh, and doesn't that lady on the cover of the book look just a tad too happy about educational research?  ;)