Moving on Down the Road

I'm finally getting caught up and feeling like I'm on top of the game. I'm prepared for class tomorrow and I've done my homework like a good girl. The dental hygiene application is due tomorrow for ACC, so we'll see if I turn that in. If I get my transcripts in the mail from CCCC, A&M, and LeTourneau, it's a go. If not, well, too bad. I'll have to deal with that later. Hopefully it won't be an issue. At least I'm up to date on my tetanus shots. At this point, I'm looking forward to next week when, hopefully, the hiccups will have all been smoothed out and I can take my first test. I asked Erik this week to evaluate my current schedule from the viewpoint of a consultant making my priority study time. He said I need to drop orchestra and Bible study. I suggested I drop my piano time before orchestra and wait on Bible study until after we host it for the next two weeks. That's the plan for now. I may have to pull back on orchestra a bit until after the DAT, anyway...maybe every other week. I'm a little too faithful when it comes to rehearsals and not at all when it comes to Sunday morning... ; )

Day 3 1/2

Playing catch up is no fun. It probably won't hurt me in the long run, but their intention was to put a fire under me and it worked. I've got so many reactions to go through tonight it isn't funny. I mean really not funny. On the flip side, I got the go ahead from Dr. Nation who has agreed to write a recommendation for me, so that's one down, 2 to go. I really don't want to ask anyone from ACC, but at least of the two I would ask one is a Ph.D. and the other an M.D. I need to go meet with the HPO office and get the scoop again on evaluations. Maybe I can have D'Maris and Judy send one anyway and see how it turns out with Dr. Iyer and Dr. Iverson. That would be nice. Then I'd have Kevin and Dr. Higgenbottom would be nice considering his affiliation with San Antonio...There are so many things on my plate now that absolutely have to be done. I can't believe I thought I could do this all in one summer semester...especially considering the not so gentle Dr. Gentle and physics. That was insane. I ended up almost changing my mind and balling my eyes out over something that would have eaten me alive. Ahh, God is good....so good...

Day Two

I'm feeling like I'm back in the swing of things. Lab hasn't started yet, so I know I'll get a few more curve balls but it'll be fine. I need to reserve time to study for the DAT more, though. I'm ahead in genetics and organic for now, but I really need to review last semester's reactions (since Dr. Iverson misled us) and study up on that. I'm thinking I'll finish studying Biology this weekend and skip to organic next week. It'll be a good refresher. Turns out Ashley is in organic, too, so I hope we can study together. That'll be good. I called the guy back from Manos de Cristo but haven't heard from him yet. I really hope that works out. It'll be a lot better since I can't drive to Dallas that often to help Kevin. I really need to call Dr. Smith soon and see if he'll write a recommendation. All of this is so awkward. I'm meeting Dr. Iyer on Monday so he'll know who I am. Hopefully I'll get some good face time with Dr. Iverson at office hours. OH, and I've got to get my vaccination records so I can turn in my ACC application by next week. Hope that happens...man that snuck up on me! I've got to get better at stuff like that...it better not happen with my dental stuff!

Day One

Day One Summary:

1. Genetics will be cool.
2. When did they start letting you "drop a test" in college?
3. In an upper level class?
4. Polly was in organic...but no Marie?
5. I signed up for a Friday lab for her and she's not taking the class?
6. How many ginormous science books can I carry back and forth across campus? At least four.
7. Riding the elevator in RLM is not a fun way to spend 10 minutes.
8. Met Ashley in genetics section - same story, same plan - let's see where we end up!
9. You have to pull the cord when you want to get off the bus or they won't stop for you.

It WAS stupid!

So I start class tomorrow and then that's it. Here's my checklist:

1. Get an A in organic and genetics.
2. Get 3 good recommendations.
3. Get a 20 or higher on the DAT.
4. Apply.

There are lots of other little things that I'll be doing, of course, to add some padding, but that's the core. And it will all be over in four months. Eek! It all seems so little, but so big. Like there's not much left but it is everything. I never thought I would be this close to something so big but I still have a long way to go. So here we go.

Let's See How Stupid this Sounds in 48 Hours

Here's the problem...at 1:00 am as I tried to talk myself into sleeping, God suddenly reminded me that I never sent my last transcript to UT. Oh, and it was "waivered" through Spring Registration. And that was kind of over yesterday. So immediate panic sat in and no matter how much I prayed and focused on how God has planned a future full of hope for me, I lost control. I woke Erik up and cried and cried...it was probably the only way I ever would have gotten to sleep because I was playing through every possible horrible scenario in my head. Now I can't think about anything else. If they drop my classes, it will really stink. I mean really. So my hope and prayer is that when I log back on here Tuesday night this will seem really silly. Really silly. So I've done nothing today, which I'm about to fix with a few hours of DAT fun. Please, Lord, let this be silly. I'll need a good laugh after today.

Another Thing About the Holidays

For some reason, the competitive nature of "getting in" brings out this monster in me. I remember in my undergrad, when I wasn't doing as well as some of my classmates, that I would get so discouraged and mad at myself that I didn't do as well as I know I could have and throw in this careless attitude about it all, that eventually led to me making excuses about why medicine wasn't for me and I was out of the game. The problem with all that was that I still had done well. Maybe not as well, but well. Anything that didn't meet my unrealistic expectations was termed as failure and it was time to try something new. So here I am now, a little bit further down the line and a lot closer to the finishing line. There's absolutely no reason for me to give up now. But it's so funny how I can still play that attitude. Playing the piano Christmas eve, I did ok. Definitely not up to my expectations, but it was fine. But for weeks now, I've let it get to me and I finally realized that it's the same old monster in a little different form. Why has he been able to get in again? Because when I get all competitve and and focused on performance, I forget that I'm not doing it for me anyway. And if I do it for me, it will be worthless. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remain in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit: APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING." John 15:something. Why play the piano? For the glory of the Lord. Why become a dentist? For the glory of the Lord. It sounds funny...dentistry...for the glory of the Lord? But if it's not, then what is it? A waste of everyone's time. And that's a lot of time. I've wasted too much time as it is. Ok, maybe that's not true, but it's time to press on.