College......finally

When he was little and I devoted countless hours of time and effort to creating interesting educational projects, I dreamed of this. When I insisted that yes, he did need to finish his math each day, I dreamed of this. When I took him on field trips to pique his interest or deepen his knowledge, I dreamed of this.

As I sat in the park every Thursday for Homeschool Park Day for all those years, I thought about this. Talking with older, more experienced homeschool moms, I thought about this. As I took workshops and courses on education, I thought about this.

Driving untold hours to fencing practice, I hoped for this. Traveling to umpteen tournaments, sometimes watching him win, but more often watching him lose, I hoped for this. Chauffeuring him to Shakespeare workshops and plays at ungodly hours, I hoped for this. Arranging a French tutor for him for French 3, I hoped for this.

Each time there was a glitch with registration for a course at CSM I ground my teeth. Seeing him procrastinate or turn in half-rate work made me worry for him. When he refused to write, I cried in my room and despaired.

As I spent who knows how many hours in front of my computer planning for his high school, I aspired to this. When I asked, begged and cajoled for him to study for the SAT tests, I aspired to this. Investigating and becoming a semi-expert at high school and college prep requirements, I aspired to this.

When he really began to think for himself, I took heart. When he told me that calculus was "juicy", I took heart. When the final SAT score results came in, I took heart. When he was thriving in the honors program at CSM, I took heart. When I knew he would be just fine no matter what happened with college acceptances, I took heart.

The months between college applications being submitted and hearing back were hard for me. I am an impatient person. And I had worked and dreamed and aspired and waited for this since he was about four years old.

I don't mean to take away from ARG's achievement - not at all. But this is my little celebration for myself. This is me rewarding myself for many years of hard work and dedication.

ACCEPTED:
UC Berkeley
UCLA
USC
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Santa Clara University (merit scholarship)
Whitman University (merit scholarship)

waHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Yeah, baby.