So Proud

In July of 2001, Ken made a decision that would change the course of our lives. At the time we had three small children, Tyler was just 7 months, Kaylie was 1, and Sydney was not quite 3. Ken owned a small moving and modular office installation company. It provided us with a decent income but it was hard on his back and his whole body in general. It wasn't something he could do for the rest of his life. He knew we needed to make a change. So at the age of 27, Ken went back to school.

We shut the company down on July 3rd, spent a beautiful 4th of July together as a family, then spent July 5th deciding what we were going to do. We suddenly had lots of expenses and very little income. We downsized from the house we lived in into a 4 bedroom duplex. It was there in that little duplex that we struggled to climb our way out of debt, we more than doubled our family, we learned to serve the Lord, and Ken slowing plugged away on his education. He changed majors at least 4 times, including Mathematics, Physics, something else I can't remember, and finally settled on Business Management. He saw much success and many failures along the way.

Fortunately, Ken didn't let not having his college degree slow him down. He chased the jobs that would allow him to provide for his family and still go to school. It was in September 2008, while Ken was working as a Branch Manager for KeyBank, that we were able to buy our first home. Only six weeks later we welcomed our 7th addition to our family.

Ken kept taking classes every semester. Sometimes he passed them and sometimes he didn't. I'll freely admit that there were times when I wanted to ring his neck. He gave me stress. It was hard financially.  It was hard on our family. It was hard on me. It was hard on the kids, they missed their Dad. It was hard on Ken, there were times that I couldn't figure out how he was doing what he was doing, during those times I know he was being sustained by a power greater than his own. For that I am so grateful.  This has been a LONG process. In the end it was worth it. We all survived and are better for having had the experience.

Ken has taught me many things over these many years. (11 to be exact)

Most importantly he has taught me that Success is the journey-Achievement is the destination.

No matter how many times Ken stumbled and fell he ALWAYS picked himself right back up and kept going. I know had it been me in his shoes I would have given up, but Ken never did. I am so very proud of him. He accomplished something great. He earned his college degree while maintaining a full-time job, a huge family, and many other time consuming responsibilities. 

It is interesting to me that even after so much time, effort, and money it is still with some trepidation that we reach graduation. It is almost bitter/sweet (more sweet than bitter) because school has been such a big part of our lives for more than a decade. It still will be for me, but Ken gets to enter a new chapter of life....it's the paying off student loans chapter...looking for a better paying job chapter....preparing to enter a Master's program chapter....and this all means change. Change can be good and scary at the same time. So it feels with graduation as well...good and scary all in one.

This is becoming a very long post, but before I get to the picture portion I want to make sure that Ken knows a few things.

1. It has been my privilege to walk beside you all these years. I am honored to be your companion.

2. I am so very proud of your accomplishments. You are a wonderful example to me of resilience and determination.

3. I am so grateful to you for your sacrifices to better our family and provide for our needs.

4. I am thankful for what you have taught me. I used to be so afraid of failure. Failure was never an option. It's been said many times but it's from you that I learned...failure is only when you quit trying. Simply progressing toward a worthy goal is true success. You are a success. You did it!

Way to go, Ken!!!!

You should be very proud of yourself....I know we are!