You Did It, Kentucky!

Last August, my sister Kentucky got her first teaching job teaching second grade at a public school on the Southside of Atlanta.

"Let me know when open house is!" I hollered. "'Cuz I'm coming! I'll be there!"

Well, the day came for Open House. I went, but a little late, when it was just about over. (Got held up by the Opressor, i.e., held up at work.)

I walked into her school, trying not to bust out crying. My lip quivered hard when I saw the banner with her name on it.

I almost laughed because I was thinking, "I don't know her as that! I know her as Kentucky!"

I really like these wall hangings:

Be Quiet, Hands Free, Be Still, Eyes on Me, Listen. (Management needs that banner at work for us rowdy employees).

I like that second entry on the other poster: "Write in my Journal". LOVE THAT! Journalling at age 7. Hooray!

Another nice poster:

(We need that one hanging on the wall at work too.)

More pictures:

It was nice walking around the room, which was unfinished, taking pictures.

I was REALLY taken with this area of the room, where Kentucky had written out a daily confession for the students.

They say this every morning before class begins. I LOVE IT! I needed something like that back in elementary school.

I am soooooo proud of my baby sister.

One thing I love, and I truly respect when it happens: I love to be in on something when it is only a mere thought in someone's mind, when something's at seed level.

I remember my sister and I talking one day, and her saying "I want to go back to school and get my Masters in childhood education".

You know me. I said, "You can do it!"

She seemed a little unsure, still had research to do. My answer is always to talk to someone who supports you and is not gonna be negative.

"Come on here and talk to, Oscar-Tyrone if you have to," I hollered. "That cat's a good listener, and best of all, he don't talk back. He just want to be rubbed!"

LOL

But I remember her thinking about it. I remember when she applied for the program. I remember when she got accepted into the program.

(She ran downstairs hollering about how she got accepted. Thought she was gonna knock over my good coffee table, lol. I took pictures of her jumping up and down.)

I remember all the discussions about the complexity of grad school, when she'd come home wailing about some mess.

"It's just a bunch of hoop jumping, man! I got the masters and the doctorate! Half the stuff they have you doing is a bunch of BS. Hoop Jumping!! Just do it. This is all temporary!"

Yes, it's all temporary. Just like a hairdo.

Now I can say I remember when she finished her program. She now has her Master's degree.

She stood in my bedroom doorway the other night and said "Well, I'm done."

Yes, Kentucky, you are finished.

And congratulations to you.

I love being in on the beginning, when something's at the thought level, the seed level. Then it expands into actions and decisions. When the process takes place. And finally when what's been worked so hard for, when what started as a simple thought, comes to pass.

It is always an honor, not to go through that myself, but to watch someone go through that. And I always give a small offering, as a way of thanking God for letting me see this process, especially when someone has prayed about it, and it comes to past. I'll do no different for Kentucky. She's moving in June, and I want to be of some help to her! (I hate to see her go, though!)

My baby sister is the second in the family to have an advanced degree!

I'm proud of you Kentucky! I remember sitting on the living room floor with you when you were three years old, trying my BEST to teach you your ABC's, thinking "This little girl is NEVER gonna learn this alphabet!"

But you learned that and much more.

And now you're teaching young children the alphabet, and much much more!

So, Kentucky... I, your big sister, Lisa, am very very proud of you!

You did it!

Like I knew you would!