One Month Later.............

Sorry it's been so long since the last entry. I started a little thing called school, and it's been pretty crazy around here. I'm also trying to work while going to school. I did it for all of my undergrad, but trust me, dental hygiene school is a whole other ballgame. School has gone well thus far. I'm getting to see harder patients this semester which is exciting, yet scary. After having seen what I'm starting to, it would make you ask the question "Have these people ever picked up a toothbrush?!" But because I have a weird affinity for seeing immediate change, I love cleaning teeth. And oddly enough, the more stuff that there is to clean, the easier it is. It's just like mowing a yard. The grass was tall, now it's short. Voila! How satisfying to witness immediate change! I have my competency (my timed exhibition of how well I can clean someone's teeth for a grade) on Monday morning. Please be praying it goes well! To God be the glory!

Back to business.

I'm counting down the days until I no longer have freedom. Meaning I start back to school in less than a week and a half. Am I registered? Do I have a clue what my schedule is? Have I attempted scheduling any patients? Have I bought books? The answer (to every aforementioned question above) is simply NO. I am seriously lacking the desire to do any of this because I know once it starts, it goes until graduation next May. Don't get me wrong, I love cleaning teeth and probably gross many people out with my love for looking in mouths. It's just that these next two semesters present the greatest of challenges, as in, harder patients, national boards, community service projects, plus bookwork and so on. Not to mention 2 hours of my day are spent driving to and from Temple. Eek! Grace Lord, I need grace! Marriage will also be considerably different. I took two classes this summer and have worked consistently. Although the combination was at times annoying, for the most part, I was able to maintain the house, cook and clean easily. All I can say is that I hope Dan doesn't mind leftovers when school starts. I'm praying that the Lord gives me a supernatural ability to be organized and energized enough to keep Him as my first priority, and Daniel as my second, no matter what project is due, or how nasty someone's teeth are. I can't even begin to tell you how the Lord has blessed me with the opportunity to be doing what I'm doing and where. I'm the first and only transfer to Temple's Dental Hygiene program. Coincidence? No, Jesus. Plain and simple. Have I made pretty good grades? Yes, but not by my power. Example: the week of our wedding. If anyone ever tries to plan a wedding amidst having transferred schools and moving, don't do it. (unless you have a supermom like mine) Anyway, so about midway through the semester, I find out that my Nutrition final is the Monday of the week of our wedding. Stay calm. So the time closes in, and before you know it it's the weekend before our wedding, A.K.A. moving time. That weekend, I was in charge of getting the house cleaned and ready to move into, which left about an hour to study for my comprehensive Nutrition final Monday morning. I've realized that when it comes to school, if I'm gonna study anything at all, it needs to be the Bible and to give the Lord His time first and foremost. And that's what I did. And praise the Lord, He blessed it! I got a 95 on the final after studying an hour! Is any human capable of that? No! By His power, all things are possible!
With the start of this new semester does come the time of the year I love most- fall. Dan and I have been working on sprucing up the backyard and the front so we can enjoy the Texas fall when the time comes.
It's not just the changing of leaves or the warm feeling you get from seeing pumpkins and little goblins, it is peace. It is solace. It is the Lord's handiwork at its finest. And I absolutely can't wait.
The fact that dove hunting season opens September 1st and deer season follows in November doesn't hurt either. :)
So to sum it up, I'm praying for an inward peace for this next school year. I'm praying for motivation to want to go to school and give it everything I've got. I'm praying for boldness to lay hands on and share the Gospel with my patients and the girls in my class. After all, people can't really object when you've got your hands in their mouth! :) I'm praying for balance when it comes to being a follower of Jesus first, a wife second, and a student. If anyone wants some Jesus along with a clean mouth, give me a call.