Nigel is hanging at our house while he waits for his new house to close. It has been awesome. Imagine me sitting and reading all day long (in the luxurious way only possible because of the fact that I am finished preparing to defend my thesis) and then beal makes dinner for all of us. And she makes extra and puts it in my freezer so I will have leftovers when she's gone. Wow.
Cleaning party at beal's before they left. These boys are experts at the ripe old ages of 2 and 3. I remember my mom making a joke when we were doing zones about how the reason she had children was so that they could work. And I remember thinking that I would never make my children do chores. Duh. Who did I think was going to do them for them?
Relaxing and eating cereal treats and watching a movie while the adults kept cleaning. Notice that relaxing translates into pants off. Like son, like (insert either parent here).
Hanging out at the kitchen sink. I wasn't home for this picture so I don't know the story behind it because millie was hanging out with my son while I defended my thesis. But this picture represents many instances of hanging out with my son while I went to do school work.
This will never get published anywhere except at BYU so I wanted to post the acknowledgements section of my thesis. It's my family that I love and appreciate and that made my thesis happen for me.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my committee for their dedication and commitment to my thesis process. Ramon, Patti, and Tom have given me so much more than a degree. It was their willingness to sacrifice in my behalf, to develop my ideas, and to find the time to critique my paper (when there absolutely was no time) that made graduation a reality for me. It is incredible how an empirical process can be so emotional. I truly feel that my educational accomplishments do not belong to me alone. I gladly share them with my sisters, who opened their homes so frequently and so willingly to my children when I had commitments on campus. I appreciate the loving support of all of my parents, grandparents and extended family members. I feel deep gratitude for a supportive husband that shares my dreams for our family. A family is truly the ultimate practicum experience. Every class discussion and article read that resonated with my goals for my family made the sacrifice worth it. Now I look forward to more time with my husband and children to be a better wife and mother because of what I have learned. Finally, after this experience, I am a more grateful daughter, more aware of the limitless power of my Father in Heaven, more in awe of His timing and of the fact that His will shall be accomplished.
