Hello, my name is Christine Ortiz. I am a native Californian who met and married a
young Texas Marine in 1990 while he was stationed in Southern California. Being a
Marine wife of over 25 years I have had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful
people and experienced different places along the way. I found my way here to
Fredericksburg in 2006 due to my husband being stationed at the Pentagon. I am a mother of four children; Allysa 24 years old (graduated Texas Tech/Biology major),
Isabella 18 years old (heading off in the fall to West Virginia/Journalism major),
Hannah 15 years old and Austin 9 years old. My children have always been my main
focus. I went to school over the years and never stayed put long enough to finish
my degree due to moving from place to place. Starting over each time was actually a
big challenge. I waited until the right time to go back to school.
I started going to Mary Washington in 2013 when we moved back to
Fredericksburg for our last move and have never stopped. I hope to graduate in the
spring of 2017. If nothing changes, I have one last semester with three classes to
go in the fall and my senior thesis in the spring. I have enjoyed being a student and
have met some wonderful kids and adults (students and Professors) who have had a
great impact on me.I am a business woman as well and have had an online retailing
business for over six years now. By working from home, my business has afforded me
the time to devote to my kids and to school. I always loved history… reading history,
anything I could get my hands on, so being a history major was a given.
I am starting a new chapter in my life with my husband having retired from the
Marine Corps after 30 years of military service. Looking forward to new
challenges and experiences. I have found that you are never too old to learn
new things. I have never taken an online course before so this is going to
be interesting. Good luck everyone and look forward to everyone’s comments
and discussions.
Christine,
It’s great to have you in this class. It’s a shame that it is online, as it seems there are a few adult students here. In the year I’ve spent at UMW, I have never taken a class where there was someone near my own age. To be honest, I have also been older than the courses professor’s.
I also have four children, 14,13,12,11. I didn’t get the memo on spacing them out like you did. My oldest goes to Chancellor H.S., I’m curious where your 15 y/o goes to school. If they are at C.H.S., I wonder if they know each other.
Also, congrats on surviving military life. I don’t know how your husband did 30. I was more than ready to retire in exactly half that time.
That is too bad you have not had too many adults in class with you. I have had quite a few. Going to school with kids younger than your oldest was a little strange at first but you get over it.
My two middles girls go to Colonial Forge. The 18 year old is a senior and the other is a sophomore. My oldest daughter graduated Colonial Forge in 2010.
My husband liked what he was doing; he was a strategic mobility officer. I never thought he would stay in as long as he did but time flies by quickly.
Hello Christine!
Welcome Christine to Virginia. This class seems to be made up of people from all over the country. I enjoyed reading about your journey to Fredericksburg and the University of Mary Washington. It looks like you and I could be graduating at the same time! Do you have any ideas on what you will be researching for your senior thesis? I look forward to reading your work and hearing your responses.
Robbie Pratt
Hello Christine, my name is Jeffrey. I thank your husband for his service; I am slowly working my way towards that retirement (June will mark my tenth year in the Army) and I know how tough it can be on families. What are your favorite topics when it comes to history? Much like you, this is also my first ever online college class. As a result I am a little apprehensive about it, but I also live an hour away, so it is nice to minimize the commute. I wish you luck as well.
I admire your dedication and will to keep going back grow in your desired education field, especially more respect being a mother on top of that. I thank you and your family for their time served and wish you the best of luck in this class and the remaining semesters.
Hi Christine, I am glad that I am not the only one that is experiencing an online course for the first time. I took an online course at the community college I attended but I don’t count that because it was a online gym course. I am only not that great with computers which is one of the reasons I prefer film photography to digital.
Hi Christine,
I think it is wonderful that you have such a strong will to keep going to school as you did with having to take of your children as you have done. I have been in the same boat so to speak for the past ten years. Trying to be there for your children and taking the time out to continue your education is hard. I once thought about working from home just so I could be there for my children more. It is amazing that you were able to start your own business online. I know that was probably challenging. How long did it take to get your online business kick started?
The first year of business was basically figuring it all out. There are so many details such as pricing, shipping costs, invoice paper and ink, tape, shipping supplies, etc. Once I figured out that, I started to tweak things a little over time. By my second year the business was running itself. I had return customers and because it was online I sold worldwide.
Thanks for your comments. Best of luck with this course.
Hi Christine, thank you for for husbands service as well as your support of it. With every good man there is an even better women. Congratulation on the new chapter in your life, i agree with your comment, “you are never too old to learn new things.” Lets keep proving the you can’t teach an old dog new tricks saying wrong.
Have a great semester and stay focused on spring 2017, it will be here before you know it.