In January of 2005, I started my Masters program in Middle School Education with a Gifted and Talented Endorsement. Little did I know what was facing our family in the years to come.
I remember logging on to hospital computers many times late at night to finish assignments, read research articles, and post comments on online discussions. I remember being at Carla’s house MANY times until the wee hours of the morning trying to focus so that I could get the next task completed in a list of what seemed like endless tasks. I remember last fall when Nick was so sick that I almost dropped out for the third or fourth time. But Carla kept me going through my tears.
Then in January when I was so consumed with grief, I’ll never forget sitting in a meeting at Georgetown College where I learned that I had to assemble not one but THREE portfolios in order to graduate. Two of them involved going back over the past four years and matching assignments with their designated standards within the Kentucky Core Content. I CRIED ON THE WAY HOME and truthfully felt like I had wasted the past four years of my life.
But then I remember one snowy afternoon in February sitting on the floor in our living room with all of my papers around me and finally diving in and determining that if God had gotten me this far then surely He could push me just a little farther.
And He did!!
Thanks to a patient and encouraging husband, grace-filled children, understanding professors, unbelievable praying friends, and ESPECIALLY to Carla for literally being my right hand, I was able to walk through the line at Georgetown College yesterday and hear my name announced as a 2009 graduate of their Master of Arts in Education program!
MOST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO MY MASTER and LORD!!!
The only Master that really matters!
I couldn’t resist a little praise time!
We did it, Tim!!
Ernie, I love you and Pam so much!
Thanks for sharing the day with me and Tim!
I just had to pose on the Georgetown wall!
Pam, I love you! You are such a believer in me. Thank you!
They all laughed at my “tail.” So they made me pose.
Nick, all of my portfolios were graded and approved on your birthday, May 22nd! Thank you for the gift! I miss you so much!
You keep me going.
Tim, you believe in me even when I don’t. Thank you!
Yippee!!
Carla, I couldn’t have done it without you, friend!!
Seriously, you earned this too!
Tomorrow I’ll tell you about the rest of the day!
Phil. 4:13
“I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”
In December of 2007 as our youngest son, Nick, was fighting brain cancer, I began to blog. Writing provided a way for me to release all of my questions, fears, and doubts. It also allowed me to share the ups and downs of Nick's journey with people who were praying for him all over the world. When Nick went Home in November of 2008, my blog became my way of searching for God in the midst of my deep heartache. My heart was broken and grief brought to the surface every emotion imaginable. Being able to release those emotions through my writing brought a sense of purpose to my pain. Having already walked the road of grief in 1992 when we lost our daughter to SIDS, I knew I needed a way to keep from falling into a pit of depression and despair. I had walked close to the edge of a bottomless pit when we lost our daughter,and I knew I couldn't let myself get that close to the edge again. This blog has been and continues to be my tiny corner of the world where I can share My Heart as I journey through God's Word.......thus the name........ My Heart His Words. Thank you for taking time to share life with me. If we do not meet while here on earth, I look forward to hearing all about your life when we reach our final destiny.........Heaven! Email me anytime at 
Simply precious friend! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Celebrate! You deserve it!!!
OH! And the first thing I noticed in the pic of you and Tim captioned, “Tim, you believe in me even when I don’t. Thank you!”…was your necklace…LOVE IT!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
In my Prayers
Carol
CONGRATULATIONS, TAMMY!! What an accomplishment! I am so proud of you and rejoice with you in your joy! Love to you and your family!
What an accomplishment!!! Congratulations, with God ALL things are possible!!
Congratulations, Tammy!
Congratulations you are an amazing lady. A real inspiration. God bless you.
Awesome! Congratulations, Tammy! What a wonderful accomplishment, much more than simply getting through college, but all the other stuff that went along with it! Celebrate big, my sweet friend!
Congratulations Tammy! This is such an accomplishment — but facing the things you faced throughout this time make it a HUGE accomplishment! Again, congratulations!
Tammy.
Only you my friend– posing with a human hot dog one day and the next time as a graduate with a master’s degree! CONGRATULATIONS on this GIANT accomplishment! (the degree, not the dog!)
-Laurie Muller
Congratulations Tammy! I know that Nick and Adrienne are looking down on you with smiles on their faces and telling everyone in Heaven, “That’s our mom and we’re very proud of her.” Always praying for you and your family, Lexie
Congratulations Tammy!
Oh, Tammy! I sit here with tears in my eyes! I am so very proud of you! You, your family and friends and especially God are an awesome team!!
I also sit here with those tears knowing that I share something very special with Nick. He and I have the same birthday. I will celebrate in his memory next year:).
You are a precious lady! I’m gonna have to do a race near you so I can visit you again!!
Love ya,
Susan
I LOVE this post! Congratulations!
Thank you to all of you for sharing in this milestone with me…..
Susan, I have to say that I am not at all surprised to find that you, of all people, would share Nick’s birthday. Why?
Because I so often think of and talk about the fact that Nick ran the race of life with such great intensity and he just got to cross the finish line early…..
So, Runner Mom, it is only fitting that YOU would share the birthday with my little “Runner Son.”
I will remember you on his birthday and I will smile a great big smile! I love you! And I love all of you who share life with me and my family.
Tammy
That’s just AWESOME! Way to go Tammy!!
What an inspirational story! I’ll be receiving (hopefully) my undergrad this fall as well as our first child. If you can do it (especially a MASTERS!), then there’s hope for us all! Thank you for that motivation!
Congratulations!!!! Pam and Ernie always seem to be there at the big moments, don’t they? love you