I officially graduated Dec of 2016, but I officially officially graduated when I walked the stage on May 6th. To be perfectly honest, I was dreading it. I didn't really want to walk. The ONLY reason that I did walk was because of the advice I got from this really handsome guy I know. Steve said, "Graduations are not for the students, they are for the families." 
So, I walked for my kids, for my husband, and for my parents. They were my source of strength all the way through the 4 years it took me to get my Associates of Science. Steve would often take care of the house, the kids, dinner, and anything else that was required so that I could study. My mom was there to offer words of encouragement (especially when I was stressing over a particularly hard subject). They even indulged my growing office supplies habit. There were even several times at the end of my time of being a student that my kids would read whatever paper I was writing and give me ideas or just the extra encouragement that I needed to feel confident that what I wrote was good. Because of all their support, I was able to graduate Summa Cum Laude with a 3.9 GPA!!!!
What surprised me on the day of graduation was the amount of emotions that hit me. In my mind, I had already graduated... I was done. This was just a bunch of ceremony, no big deal right? It was after everyone received their "diploma" and all the graduates stood to the applause of the audience. The professors in attendance stood, turned around, and clapped for us. It was like I could feel all the overwhelming pride and joy. The look of admiration on my kids faces, the way they were hollering at the top of their lungs "that's my mom." Then I made eye contact with my husband, and he mouthed "I love you SOO MUCH" with a deep sigh. It took all I had to not breakdown into tears right there in front of everyone.
In the end, I am glad that I did it. I'm glad that I finished my degree, and I'm glad that I walked. Even though, I have decided not to go on to become a pharmacist, and I am not using my Associates of Science to help Steve run a business, or build a farm, I am so glad I finished. I finished for the kids; I finished for me.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” - Dr. Seuss