Dental School(s) Update

A lot of my blogging has been centered around David and his (our) dream to become a dentist. This is no exception. And it's long. Sorry!!!!

My latest post (back in January...........) said that we were headed to SO CAL for dental school at Western U. David applied to 13 different schools back in June of 2011. This WAS SUCH a long process and it was so nerve wracking since schools didn't even start until August of 2012.

14 MONTHS LATER.

SO, here's how it goes down. Dental Schools will interview you first before they accept you. Then, December 1st is the first day that Dental Schools are allowed to accept you into their program. David's top picks of the 13 were:
1. University of Washington 2. Oregon Health and Science 3. University of Iowa

David interviewed at the University of Iowa first, then WesternU in California, and last was the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Really, we would be happy ANYWHERE so we were really excited that he got these interview invites. Out of the three, his first choice was of course, Iowa.

He was first accepted to WesternU, so we put two seperate deposits down and started apartment hunting. I was really nervous about this!! I really did NOT want to live in Southern California. It was a really sketchy place!!!!!!! I was prepared for it... but apprehensive to say the least (this apprehension may or may not have started growing once I checked the pedophiles website in the area. IT WAS COVERED!!!! there wasn't a single spot that didn't have one of those sketchy triangle-pictures-of-your-future-demise things.) So I was (silently) praying he would get accepted somewhere else.

David was put on the alternate list at Iowa. There were over 3000 applicants for just 80 seats. We kept checking in with the dean of admissions and slowly started seeing his name get closer and closer to the top. It was in May that we found out that he not only was accepted into their program, but would be receiving a scholarship of $15,000 a year! We were THRILLED!!! I was THRILLED. Especially since I knew Iowa had the same atmosphere as Rexburg. I LOVED REXBURG!! So even though this was across the country, I was excited that we would NOT be living amongst the criminals. (my chance of getting shot by a drive by was reduced significantly)

About 4 weeks before school began David got a mysterious phone call. He answered it and whispered "OHSU" to me. My heart DROPPED. What?!? School starts in a month - why are they calling? They had a seat open up and wanted to interview 3-4 more people for a spot. Without hesitation, he made the appointment for the interview. I mean, his SECOND choice! We drove on Friday and spent the night with his Aunt and Uncle in Portland. I had the weirdest feeling as we were driving through Portland on Friday. I didn't want to accept this weird feeling and didn't say anything to David about it. As we were laying in bed and David was thinking about his interview in the next morning, we were talking about how grateful we were that he had been accepted to Iowa, and that we had been so incredibly blessed. But, he had the same feelings that I had while we were in Portland.

He went to his interview and rocked it. (It's David, of course!) But as we were driving home he told me that it would cost us an additional $100,000 to attend. He prefaced that with "I will go wherever you want me to go." I feel so lucky to have a husband who cares about where I would be the happiest, even though it is his education. But, I couldn't do that. I couldn't knowingly get into that much more debt when it will already be SO much money. AND, I know that David really wanted to attend Iowa. The feeling he had at his interview in Iowa was so great that he knew that was were he wanted to go. We decided on our ride home that we would go to Iowa. (I secretly was hoping David wouldn't have been accepted to OHSU so we didn't even have the temptation.)

A couple days later they called him and told him he had been accepted. This was the hardest week for me. I cried and cried and cried. I cried because in my heart I knew that Iowa was the better choice, despite my wanting to live close to my family for the next four years... I just didn't want to accept it. I knew that the Lord wanted/needed us in Iowa. We waited a couple days before we declined the offer. Once David sent the offer to OHSU, I felt instant relief and a feeling of comfort. This was the right decision.

Iowa is were we will be for the next four years... SO, I must blog!!

THANK HEAVENS FOR SKYPE.