Doctor! Doctor!

No, no one is hurt.

But I have a chance to become one! A Ph.D. or Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health, that is. That's right. I was accepted to the Temple University Public Health PhD program! I could have (and should have) applied last year, but didn't get my act together well enough. So, instead, I've had my application trickling into the program office over the past 5 or 6 months. Well, it's paid off and I'm in!

Marc and I still haven't made the ~*final*~ decision about whether I'll actually GO, but here was my first thought:
1. Whew! Wahoo! I wasn't REJECTED!!!
Yes, at this point in my life, I think it would just be too much if I got rejected. So I'm very happy.

I've applied for a Wellesley College Graduate Fellowship which would cover tuition for the first year (maybe more; and yes, isn't my undergrad wonderful?! Even offering scholarships for non-Wellesley study!), and the Chair of the PH Department submitted an application on my behalf for a Temple University Fellowship which would cover tuition + a stipend for the first year. So... with the financial opportunity on the table, Marc and I are PRAYING (please feel free to join in this prayer!!) that something comes through. Otherwise, the actual *going* to the PhD program will be dubious.

The other decision maker/breaker is just the fact that I'll be a mommy! And I want to be a mommy first. Since I don't know what motherhood will be like or what my baby girl will be like, I'm still willing to put everything aside for her and mommyhood. But, I'm obviously not writing off the PhD possibility. I definitely envision myself doing both, I mean, I always thought I'd be a doctor (an M.D.) and a mother at the same time, so though life has changed those plans, I still always see myself doing a "both"... we'll just have to see what reality brings.

I just love that there is so much opportunity and blessing laid out before us! What a year! Marc starts rotations, I have the opportunity to obtain my PhD, and we're going to have a baby! I love having so many opportunities before us.

So, decisions decisions. Thank goodness for prayer. I know that Marc and I can make the right decision if we just honestly pray and listen and seek the Lord's will. Like I said before, feel free to join in praying on our behalf, that we can listen and feel right about our decisions! Thankfully, I feel I've done my part and hopefully the financial blessings will pour in, and also, thankfully, my boss recognizes that I will likely NOT be returning to work for him in the Fall due to little baby Tolley. So all the awkward conversation with bossman is completed.

With any luck, our little girl will have a Dr. Daddy and a Dr. Mommy by 2010 (or thereabouts - Marc will definitely have the M.D., but I bet just my coursework will be done and I'll have to do my dissertation from afar).