Happy Monday, friends! I'm linking up with Holly and Sarah for today's post. I hope you had a good weekend! I thought I'd share about what I did with my dad on Friday. If you're my friend on social media, then you've already seen these, but I wanted to put them here for my friends who read and aren't on socials.
I had an appointment in Jackson, Tennessee on Friday morning at eleven; when I realized the time I'd been given, I decided it would make for a perfect outing with my dad! He loves to travel, and they really just don't do much of that these days because of his age and how hard it is on him. This was the perfect solution to getting away, even if only for the day. I picked him up at 9:30, then we were on the road ten minutes later. Jackson is one hour away from Memphis, and is also where I attended college. Back then it was called Lambuth University, but now it's University of Memphis at Lambuth. I was excited to see this again with my dad, and to walk down memory lane, so to speak. For the rest of this post, I'll let the pictures do most of the talking.
It's funny how when 29 years go by, you forget lots of things, like how beautiful the campus is. The flowers and trees are meticulously kept, and I was impressed.
As much as I loved seeing the campus this past weekend, and meeting the few friends that I made while I was there, college was not for me, and I came home before I finished. Being away from home wasn't anything that I liked; I went home every single weekend, except for the few that Mom made me stay on campus so that I could bond with my friends there. She was smart to do that, by the way! I should have stayed there every weekend, truth be told; if I had, maybe things would have been different.
But then again, they probably wouldn't have been any different at all. I told Dad that I felt peer pressure to go to college while I was still in high school. I remember being in a class and us having to go around the room telling where we wanted to go to college and what we wanted to do afterward. I was embarrassed to answer this question, because all I ever wanted to be was a wife and mom. My mom was (still is) the best mom, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps! But because I was ashamed to admit that, I told everyone that I would be attending Lambuth and pursuing a degree in elementary education. While that's a great career, it was never meant to be for me. I left for school in the fall of 1995, Todd proposed to me in October of the same year, and one year after that we were married on October 4, 1996. I came home and worked full time when I decided to quit school, and I've never once regretted my decision!
Because of that, I've always felt self conscious about telling people that I was "just" a wife and stay at home mom, because our society made us feel like that wasn't enough. Shame on them, though! While working outside of the home is great for some families, it was best for my family that I was able to be at home with them. I always did some type of part-time work, like giving kids rides to and from school everyday that I was compensated for, but I was mostly at home with them all the time. I started working part-time at their elementary school when Jonah and Noah entered Kindergarten, and Graham and Drew were in fourth and fifth grades; I was their lunch lady and was in charge of about 600 students as they ate lunch each day in three shifts. I loved that job! I loved getting to know all their friends and being such a big part of their day. Once I started homeschooling, I stopped working completely, only going back part-time in the fall of 2022 after Jonah and Noah graduated.
While I'm thankful that I had the experience of this beautiful campus, I am most grateful that the Lord allowed me to have my dream job of being a wife and mom. I have loved taking care of our sons and I also love the phase of life that we're in now, as they're all grown up and living their best adult lives. I'm very thankful that I got to see this place again with my dad. It was wonderful being able to show him the places where a lot of my memories happened. I will always, always, always cherish the day that this was in my heart. I consider myself extremely blessed to have what will now be a core memory for myself in later years.
Thanks for reading my blog, friends, and traveling back to my college with me. I hope you enjoyed the visit! Love to all.
Jenn 💚
What a special day Jennifer! So sweet! I am sure your Dad truly enjoyed this time with you and a little adventure :)
ReplyDeleteI think it was really special, too. He did really seem to enjoy our time walking around the campus a little, and I know he loved the adventure!
DeleteI love your road trip and I love the back story on your college experience. I stayed every weekend and had basically the opposite experience, but I remember being our of college and 25 and thinking I would never meet anyone to marry. I thought that was so old. I think there is a plan for all of us and you followed your path and I love that you are content and grateful.
ReplyDeleteAmy
Thanks, Amy! I feel like while it may have been more acceptable to marry young 28 years ago (and even younger than we were for many of our grandparents), it's definitely not the norm now. I remember a lot of our friends (and maybe even extended family members like cousins) thinking we had to get married, maybe because I was pregnant. I wasn't! We just knew we didn't want to wait to marry, if we knew we were committed to each other forever. I have heard stories similar to yours before, and I know several young people now who are walking that same path! You are right: the Lord has a plan already set in motion for each of us, and He gives us desires and dreams as well. I'm glad I got to live mine, and I know you're equally as glad you're getting to live yours even today! You are an exceptional teacher, and have made a difference in hundreds of lives. I commend you, my friend. Thanks for the sweet words about my life; I really am thankful that I have gotten to live this life.
DeleteI think college campuses are so pretty and what a special day that was with your dad. I went to college 2 hours away, but still came home probably every 2 weeks on average. I loved my college time and still love to visit the town. Have a good Monday!
ReplyDeleteI love college campuses, too! I do think it's always fun to revisit places that were special to us, whether on a campus or in old homes we lived in. I hope you have a great day!
DeleteAww! It sounds like you had a lovely time with your dad. What wonderful photos and a great trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kim! It was a really great day. I love that we did this together!
DeleteMy hubs and I met in college and were back recently for a reunion. I love being on a campus...the grounds are usually so lovely. I think it's still sometimes hard for women to say they're a stay at home mom and wife. Both of my daughters have degrees, both worked before having children , and both are home now with their own children full time. I'm so grateful every day for this, grateful I was able to do the same. Have a nice week!
ReplyDeleteI bet it was fun to go back for reunion! I agree; they're usually beautiful and well kept. You're right about how that is still something hard for women today, I have heard others say the same thing. I know you love that they're doing what they're doing and raising their babies!
DeleteHi, new to the blog! That is really nice to look back with thankfulness about the opportunities. I recently wrote a post about similar things; how the job I had while having my children allowed me to be present for them. It was a full time job but really flexible. I try to be grateful each day for all my blessings; sometimes it's really hard though so reading this helped me today.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you stopped by my blog today! I just did the same and read and commented on yours as well. Thank you for the kind words! I love what you said about being thankful for the flexible job that you had. I am sure that was a huge blessing! It's not always easy to find the good in everything, but the more we practice thankfulness, the easier it gets. I hope you stop by often!
DeleteWhat a perfect day with your dad. The campus looks beautiful! I didn't go to college at all and I got a job at the police department at age 19 and then worked there for 45 years. I did not get to stay at home with our girls, but hubby as a pastor was able to shift stuff around and be able to watch them most of the time. We did use a part time baby sitter for a year or two. I think it worked for us very well. I just don't think that everyone is meant to go to college.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy, it was! I love that you and your hubby made your jobs work for your family. It sounds like both of you were doing exactly what the Lord intended for you both to do! You're right; it's not for everyone! Trade schools are great, but not even those are for everyone. Three of my boys chose not to go to college, and the other one started but didn't finish. They have very well paying full time jobs now!
DeleteWhat a beautiful campus! I'm so glad you could go back and visit with your dad. I loved hearing your thoughts on college/no-college decision. I think there is WAY too much emphasis on college in today's world. It is probably much more pressure now than back when we were that age. I also think there is starting to be more acceptance for staying at home. It seems like 20 years ago, there was almost an undeclared war between working moms and stay at home moms. Lots of criticism. Hopefully now we are moving into more acceptance and less judgement for whatever works best for someone's family. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks, my friend! It was such a great day. I agree about the pressures of today and college; it worked out that mine didn't go, even though one went for two years and then quit. It never mattered to us if they went or not, we just told them they were expected to work to support their bills (with the exception of all that comes with living at home); they were all glad to do this and never once complained. Three of them really love their jobs today and one starts his new job in Dallas on Sunday! I'm so thankful for this. Thank you for your sweet words! xoxo
DeleteWhat a lovely day out with your dad and a great trip down memory lane! Being a stay-at-home mom is a full-time job and it's such a rewarding one!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pamela, it was! You are so right, and there is nothing more important than the work of raising your own family.
DeleteThat is such a lovely campus and it sounds like a great outing with your dad. I never lived on campus or in a dorm because I just knew I'd hate it. I commuted and nearly didn't go to college at all either (until I realized I could just drive, attend classes, and then sleep back in my bed at night!). I too always wanted to be a wife and mother and remember giving that as my answer in high school!
ReplyDeleteIt really is beautiful! That's so great that you had that option to go, but to live at home. I think that probably would have appealed to me back then, but I really did not want to be there. I had such a hard time with school! I could barely keep my grades up enough to pass. I was so glad to quit and go to work instead! I love that you wanted to do the same!
DeleteThis is such an interesting conversation… the post you wrote and then everyone’s personal additions to it. I knew, from the time I was eight years old, that I wanted to be a teacher and so I was very focused on what I needed to do to get there. My family did not (could not?) afford college, but I was fortunate enough to live close enough to a university campus that I could commute and, back in the early 90s, work a part-time job that would mostly pay for my tuition. That just does not seem possible for our children today. Anyway, my sister, like me, always knew what she wanted to do with her life, which was to become a doctor. I remember we were both in college and I mentioned that I really, really hoped to one day just be a wife and mother, and she was shocked , asking me why I was going through all this work and would just “give it up”. She then went on to say that maybe I could watch her kids while she worked because she cannot imagine “giving it all up “. Fast-forward 20 years… i’m so, so lucky because I did get to “give it up” to be a full-time mom and, as it worked out, I did get to have her children in my life full-time for several years. She is a fabulous physician and wonderful mother and I will be forever grateful that all of my dreams came true also…wife, mother, teacher.
ReplyDeleteFunny enough, even though I was an educator (I did go back to the classroom when my kids were in school FT) I really didn’t care if my kids went the college route or trade route….i just wants them to be further educated after HS will a skill or trade or degree. What do you know, all four ended up obtaining bachelors degrees but only one is working in her field but doesn’t really like it. Go figure 🙄 The others? One is doing mission work and the others got licenses to support other jobs they wanted. I say “good for them”. And good for you, knowing what you wanted and being blessed with it all :) I say that is following God’s design for your life!
Thanks for sharing that with me, Jenni! That is very interesting, and I always love to know how things play out. I hear so many people say that what they do for a living and the degree they got in college are usually not even closely related. I know someone who went to school and majored in radio broadcast; they worked in that field for a few years, before doing something completely different today. It does make you wonder, if that's the case, then why keep things like this today? And why the big push for universities over community colleges or trade schools? It does seem like these things are closely related to government agencies; and I think it's all related to money, as in the ridiculous cost of what it takes today to send someone to an in-state college. I could go on and on about this, obviously...
DeleteI love hearing what your kids do!