When Life Throws it's Punches

Wow. Today was a day that I most certainly didn't expect. Well, I did expect the day. I've been planning for a while now to go up to Rexburg to figure out my life for the next little bit in terms of school. I've only got 17 more necessary credits to graduate. That's student teaching and my Senior Practicum. Not bad at all, is it. But then, life threw a punch. I now speak Spanish. That's not something I did 2 years ago when I was planning out my education/ graduation plan. And I found out today that if I take 3 Spanish Language tests (and pay a very affordable $30 to get the grades put on my transcript) and 13 extra credits I'll be able to get an endorsement in Teacher Education for Students of Other Languages (technically minor, except as an elementary ed major I'm not allowed to have a minor so they call it an endorsement) in Spanish. Yeah, that would be SUCH a blessing. I would normally jump all over that...but here's the real punch. I've already got 100 credit hours. BYU-Idaho wants you gone at 120 credit hours. If I do get my TESOL endorsement, I would have to take 12 -14 credits the next 2 semesters, plus have up to 12 credits added for the Spanish classes, and my student teaching which would put me way over the 120 credits. But honestly, the more I think about it, the better I feel. I mean, Heavenly Father didn't call me to speak Spanish to use it for 18 months a put that language ability at the back of the junk drawer never to be found again! I want to use Spanish for the rest of my life! So it sounds like something that could potentially be a HUGE blessing. This is definitely something I'm going to have to make a serious matter of prayer, because this has all been thrown at me in the past few hours. I know that Heavenly Father will take care of me as I follow the promptings of the Spirit to do what is best for me. But I may not be student teaching and graduating in the fall, but rather in the winter.