(I realize bachelors degrees aren't all that exciting these days and probably not life changing or anything, but I never saw myself getting one. Never thought I could do it. Had a lot of reasons to not do it. And I did it. Pretty happy about it too.)
So, without further ado, my thank yous:
1. Justin Sorenson.
Annoyed of my complaints of being "uneducated", Justin was always the first person to tell me to just go back to school if I wanted to. He's the one who would talk me down when semesters got tough (especially while getting my BFA show ready and I was ready to give up / change everything). There was a LOT of slack to be picked up with me in school full time since Summer 2014 (and five semesters of classes to be completed) and he stepped up with everything. Cleaning the house, dishes, laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, taking care of the boys, the list goes on and on. He never complained about the expense of getting me through my classes. He was 100% supportive and by my side through it all (including me going on a weeklong trip to Capitol Reef for school and on various weekend trips for my class working on the Native American Initiative project). Need I say more? Probably not. He's just the best and sometimes I think too good to be true.
2. Ezra Sorenson.
Seems weird that I need to thank my now-6 year old son? Maybe. But it's not just me or my husband that had to make sacrifices for my education. Actually getting teary thinking about it now. Thank you, Ezra Jordan for putting up with the rushed mornings getting out the door to be taken to your cousin's house before you had school, so your mom could go to school. Especially this year when you've been in kindergarten. You always got so excited when it was my day to pick you up from school. I know that wasn't easy for you, having your mom be so busy with her schooling. Thank you for the endless patience, forgiveness and unconditional love you showed me these past few years. I am so looking forward to making up for lost time and being able to do more of what makes you happy.
3. Colter Sorenson.
Oh my coco bean! If I'm being honest you were the number one reason I went back to school. See, your birth was a VBAC. I had always been terrified of childbirth (and yeah it still weirds me out) but I worked hard to not have another c-section with your birth and was able to do it unmedicated, which is something I never thought reasonably possible. Then I breastfed you for a year (something that weirded me out almost as much as childbirth and never thought I would do) and I loved it. Your existence taught me so much about myself and gave me a belief in myself that I didn't have before you came into my life. You put up with some inconveniences just like your brother, being dropped off or picked up when all you wanted to do was be with me. Lots of days I had to pry you off of me and those days were really hard, even though once the sad part of leaving each other was over you always had a great time (whether you were being babysat by family or spending your day at Wee Care). Looking forward to spending our days together, little man.
Okay, now the big three are out of the way. So much more to go I'm not sure where to start. But gotta start somewhere.
UVU WEE CARE
I can't say enough good things about uvu's day care services. Such an amazing facility, awesome teachers, it really was a godsend. Colter didn't always want to be dropped off (and broke my heart every time) but every single time I picked him up he was happy as can be and loved going there. He especially loved his teachers Anesa (who adored colter and was many times the only one he would go to when I left) and Brandy, who was so sweet with him. So thankful for all the good teachers who watched colter and treated him so well. Definitely a little sad he can't go there anymore.
EVERYONE WHO HELPED WATCH MY KIDS
Before ez started kindergarten and colter started wee care in the fall, these boys got to be watched by their grandma Mare, their Nana (my mom), auntie Rocio, and auntie Che, pretty sure with some help sprinkled in by Jamie and Nene as well. I can't thank them enough for all of their help! They did it out of the kindness of their hearts and I'm so appreciative. This school year I'm especially appreciative of Staci who had Ezra at her house M-TH before school for an hour and two days a week after school for a few hours. What would I do without these amazing women in my life?
MY PROFESSORS!
Tyson Monson, even though I earned my worst grade in college in your digital imaging class years ago (a B! Probably deserved that) you're still one of my favorite teachers. I took so many classes from you, from digital imaging to advanced digital imaging, photo 1 to darkroom tech (am I missing any?) I thoroughly enjoyed learning from you and getting to know you and your work.
Travis Lovell, I took documentary photography, history of photography, historic photo processes, and BFA from you (am I missing any?) and each course taught me so much about photography and about myself. I very much enjoyed learning from you and really think you're pretty great. Super annoyed you won't be at graduation today :)
John Rees, from photo lighting 1 to photo lighting 2, to advanced photo studies, to BFA, I really was blessed to take those classes and learn from you. Even though I'm not a fan of studio lighting I still found myself benefitting from those classes. You always go above and beyond for your students and I feel really lucky to have been one of them. Thanks for all the encouragement (and telling me it was stupid to only get an associates back when I was first in school), the donuts, and really just being a great person to be around.
Kevin Schley, the first class I took from you was my first semester back at school in Capitol Reef. I was still trying to figure out who I was and what I liked to do in photography, and you were a big part of helping me figure that out. Then I got to take the Native American class with you and I will always look back on those memories and be so glad I got to participate. Thanks for being an awesome person to be around. Super glad I got to know you.
Reid Elem, I was pretty terrible in your special topics Alternative Digital Processes class but it was still fun. :) I'm glad I got to know you on the Native American trip and I'm so happy for you becoming a full time professor at UVU. I appreciate your honesty in critiques and you always pushing students to do their best work. And yes, we still need to make that RSL game happen.
Haynes Goodsell, I first got to take Fine Art photography from you (and finished my last semester with your Exploratory photography class) and you helped me so much in that project. I love the important discussions and critiques that we always had in your classes and for everything I was exposed to because of taking those classes from you. I think you add an important perspective at UVU and I think they're pretty lucky to have you. I'm gonna miss seeing you around and laughing at all of your quirks.
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