Student Debt

It
Is
Over...

Finally.

I finished my degree.  Exactly four months ago from today I defended my dissertation successfully.

Before I commence blabbing about insights on this accomplishment, I need to renew my thanks to EVERYONE who supported me over the past nine years as I trudged through the process of getting my doctorate.

So: to blabbing:

I have so much more time now, right?

No.

I'm in debt.  Not just student financial debt, but the type of student "social" debt that accumulates when you forego one family / social event after another in order to research, draft, edit and revise 400 plus pages of data - over and over again for years.

Remember my post (probably a year ago from now, if not longer) when I attempted to write down one activity I wanted to accomplish, When My Dissertation's Done (WMDD) for each additional day I worked on my dissertation?  Well, it's come due... but the truth is I have not even looked at it because I'm still "righting my ship."

Aside from the Saturdays and Sundays I spent on the dissertation (now completely claimed by my children, sorry) I only had "free time" from 9pm to 12am... and that is taken up with exercise or sleep.

I am not teaching tap classes, or choreographing plays, or joining another Board of Directors.  I am simply finding those people that I've left behind and making sense of our relationships again.

I live oh so in the moment with my girls.  I sit with them and read to them and play with them and talk with them. I dream with my daughter, with bittersweet excitement, of her first day of Kindergarten as we laugh and talk about how much fun it will be.  I appreciate the milestone accomplishments of my younger daughter that I somehow missed with my older.

I am not DOING anything but trying to BE more.  I owe a lot.  I owe so very much to my girls.  I will be with them 100% for the student careers.  I have a lot of debt to pay off.