Whoo Hoo!!! Congratulations Mum!!!

I'm VERY excited to announce that my mum got a promotion today, out of the blue, to full-time lecturer at our Uni!!! This is so fantastic! Mum was pulled out of school at age 15 so she could go to work and help out financially with her family (she had 6 younger brothers and sister, and a father who, while a lovely and artist soul, had substance abuse issues). She married my dad, who had not finished highschool himself (I don't think) and Dad pretty said that now she was married she had to work or be home with us kids (Dad held the purse strings, too, so her money was not her own)...

When I was about 8 or 9, mum did go against Dad's wishes and enrolled in a pottery course at Tafe and became quite a good potter, but she was never allowed to throw herself (pun not intended) into it completely.

After mum and dad seperated, mum started doing nightschool to get her highschool diploma (she was around 33 years old)... Then she became a Salvation army officer, which offered two years theological education. When she was 42, she wanted to pursue a counselling diploma and the Army pretty much said no (their stance on officers studying externally has since changed, but back then moonlighting was not permitted)... So, she left (good for her!). She completed the diploma, then decided to do a bachelor of Theology, it took her several years to complete that (2003, I think), and then she decided to do a Masters of Ministry. After just one year of that course, she transfer to a Masters of Writing (the course I'm doing now), and has been working on that since. About 2-3 years ago, she had starting working for the Uni as a tutor and marker, then she became an assistant lecturer, and then part time lecturer and external student co-ordinator, and now FINALLY after all these years, she's a full-time lecturer!!!

I'm so proud of my mum, she proves that not finishing highschool just doesn't mean anything!!! It's never too late to see your dreams come into fruition, you just have to keep plugging away at it!!!

This promotion comes with a lovely pay increase (I think about double what she's getting now!!!), which means they will not have to struggle so much to pay off their house, whoo hoo!!! Yay mum!!!