Unfortunately....

Author: Adam Turney
Melissa recently posted that I had gotten into an additional class this semester which would enable me to graduate a semester early. Even though the professor allowed me to join his class, even without meeting the prerequisites, the Education Leadership department denied my request for a credit overload. I contacted the head of the department and explained that I could manage the load easily enough but she still refused my petition for the additional class. This means that I will not be able to graduate with my second Master's degree until the Spring of 2010.

When I received the letter declining my request I was pretty crushed because I really had my heart set on proving myself capable of dealing with the large load of 15 graduate credits and teaching full-time...oh and helping my pregnant wife and also having a little part-time job. I was excited at the thought of graduating twice this year and being able to walk at graduation with Melissa. I enjoyed hearing how people thought I was crazy for taking so much on at once, but I just want to get it done with so I can move past the education portion of my life (I still plan to pursue a Ph.D. later in life). There were numerous reasons I wanted this class, but it was not meant to be.

"It is not meant to be," is a thought I had to contemplate throughout the day and night upon learning I would not be allowed to take the additional course. I was reminded of the plan that the Lord has for our lives and I was assured that things will all work out in the end. I understood better that we make plans for ourselves but those plans will often change. Heck, I never planned to start back to college until a couple years of teaching. However, life presented itself different and the opportunity for me to enroll in a graduate program was provided and our plans changed. Then during the end of my current Master's degree I realized I could take more classes and I began my second Master's degree with two semester still remaining in my current degree. Life has a weird way of making things exciting and challenging. This realization, combined with the purchase of an entertainment center, matching end table, and new couches, helped easy the frustration I had been experiencing.

If there is one thing I have learned during my short experiences through life, it is that things always work out for me. I may have to wait longer for some things but I have patience and will manage to get through it all. At least I am not pregnant, teaching full-time, and going to graduate school as a full-time student too...that would be too much for me. So I admire Melissa for sticking with her education and keeping that desire to finish strong. I just hope I can continue to be supportive of her throughout the remaining year of her education.