"Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be."

Today was a good day. I don't know the score (it arrives via snail mail), but I know that I can legally practice veterinary medicine in North America. :) The online score portal just says PASS.... who knew!? Apparently everyone but me knew. Isn't it amazing the faith that other people have in you when you feel like you have very little in yourself? The Lord works in amazing ways and he has truly blessed me with the ability to pursue my dreams and with a support system of amazing people that are always rooting for you.

Props to my mom, dad, and Matt, especially... they never stop believing in me and always remind me to believe in myself.

Today was a good day.

"Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become."

Email came today announcing that NAVLE scores will be posted early next week.... all I can say is, "AHHHHHH!" Just a week until I know if I need to start studying again or if I can have a celebration cocktail! :) Unfortunately, all I'll know at first (online) is Pass or Fail until I receive the official score report via snail mail. Guess that's all that really matters anyway!

Second upcoming big date - February 7, 2011. On this date I will find out whether I'm heading off on an exciting new adventure for a small animal rotating internship for 1 year OR if i'm getting my CV ready to mail to various clinics to find a real job.

Change is coming.... change is good. It's scary too.

With all the recent stress and worry that I've been dealing with about school and life and just generally being overwhelmed, I thought I'd remind myself of this quote every morning:

"Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy."

And another for Matt, just in case he gets worried about not exactly knowing what his life has in store for him:

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much."

I'll leave this blog post with a reminder for Matt and I both.... about the amazing love we share: "The hours I spend with you I look upon as sort of a perfumed garden, a dim twilight, and a fountain singing to it. Other men it is said have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough."

"For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work" - Doug Larson

It's been a really long time since my last update.... I feel pretty sure that I said that last time, and even made a promise to myself to keep updating, but somehow time slipped away from me and Matt and we just haven't found the time in the last year. That's right... a whole year! I can't believe it's been that long.

I'm trudging through clinical rotations and Matt is working hard all the time. I'm applying for an internship in small animal medicine/ surgery, so we'll figure out where we'll be for the next year in February (in addition to finding out if I passed my national board exam). If I don't match up to any program, I'll be looking for a job, so only God knows our path for next year. It could be just about anywhere, considering I've applied all over for internships. Wherever we end up, we'll be together, and that means we will be happy anywhere :)

Wedding planning is coming along nicely... we've been able to get deposits paid, DJ's booked, flower arrangements/ florist stuff planned, dress altered, veil designed... and the list goes on and on. I have bridal pictures made at the end of February in Asheville, which should be a great day :) We're getting so excited! One of my first statements just after midnight on New Year's Eve was "Can you believe it? We're finally able to say we're getting married THIS year!!" Time is passing so fast.... Just a few short months from now, a dream will come true and I will finally graduate as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. A few weeks later, it will be time to marry the man of my dreams.

Every day I worry about everything... where we're going, did I pass, how do we pay the bills, what's next for me and for my life together with Matt. It's exhausting! But I know things will end up working out just like they're supposed to. God has blessed us in so many ways... most importantly, by placing us in each other's lives and giving us a supportive life-line of family and friends. Life is good.