The pursuit of education

       I am combining a little of what I am thankful for and some scrapbookin' tonight. I am thankful for the pursuit of education. My definition of "education" has changed a lot in this past year. I thought that the more educated one was, the more degrees he could hang on his wall. I have since realized that true education is never a destination. True education is a living, breathing process. I have a bachelors degree and some classes under my belt for a masters.

     I use to be a social worker and was paid for my expert advice and opinions by the government, especially concerning certain individuals, that were assigned to my care. Am I an expert on social norms anymore? I would have to confess, no. Maybe I still know more than the average "Joe" but my proficiency would be lacking. Was my "education" a waste? NO!

     Education is never a waste. See in my formal education what I learned the most, was how to continue to seek an education. A day never passes that I don't read something.  If I need to learn to crochet, or need to know more about grass-fed beef, or home education,  I read, I learn, I practice, I fail, and sometimes I succeed. I also take classes and learn from others who have a passion for what they teach. I love learning and I am so thankful that I have recently discovered that I don't need a university to tell me that I know something. If I want to know something, then I need to seek great mentors through formal, or informal paths. 

       My husband did not have a desire for a formal education when we first met. He struggled through public school, and had been told that college was not for him. He was made to feel inferior, and unintelligent by the very teachers that should have been empowering him and teaching him. I am not sure he would really want me to go into a lot of detail of the events that occurred in his life that led him to believe this, so we will leave that as his story to tell. 

     Yet my story to tell is that shortly after we were married he discovered something in himself. The company that he was working for, at the time, was moving to a new building. He had  a few spare moments so in the computer program paint, yes--the free one that comes on your computer, he sketched up the floor plan for the new building. At the time drafters were in great demand, and I told him that people get paid to do that all day long. He decided to look into it. 

     Shortly after Turner was born, Josh started going to school full time and working full time. Unfortunately the local university didn't have a drafting course he could take at night. We soon discovered that the technical school in our town offered a night drafting course. He completed that program with a lot of effort and dedication. It took him three years of going to school four nights a week, but he stuck to it, and accomplished his goal.

     He didn't want to participate in the graduation ceremony. I convinced him that we needed to celebrate OUR accomplishment! I had worked harder for his trade certificate than I did for my own degree. I sat in the ceremony, and realized that most of our country wouldn't see much significance in a trade school graduation. For us, for our family, it was an amazing feat. No matter how great or how small the world may deem his accomplishments, the accomplishment of his goal was the real prize. 

Getting his metal. That is what they did instead of caps 'n gowns

Showing it off! Doesn't he look thrilled?

Contemplating about what to do with the rest of his life.

Don't we look cute?

The whole lot of us!

Josh and his parents

Smothered with kisses

The whole support team

Now if only the world hadn't changed in the last 5 years and there was employment for drafters still!!!