Finally!

Today I am celebrating the word finally.

It is finally Friday!! That means two days with my hubby at home! We are planning on going to the downtown Farmer's Market tomorrow morning. Then tomorrow evening, we get to hear how God has worked in the lives of my sisters! It will be a special weekend.

A Vanilla Lime Yankee Candle we got for our wedding has finally burned out! I've been burning it every day lately trying to use it up. It's not that it's a bad scent, it's just been quite long enough for it.

I have finally finished the sweater I've been knitting for Abram! I'm really pleased with it!! It will be perfect for this fall.

Abram is finally walking, for real, I think. Do I dare say that? Because every other time I have, he has gone into a hiatus and made a fibber out of me! He took his first steps at 9 1/2 months, and I excitedly wrote in his baby book that he had taken his first steps. Well, these 1-2 steps lasted a LONG time, until the very end of his 10th month, and I declared for you all that he is walking. Well, then he just quit. When we tried to make him stand to show anyone his new skills, his legs became little noodles, and he refused to do it. This lasted for approximately 3 weeks. Now, just this past week, he has really started doing it quite consistently, enough that think I can write in the baby book that he is indeed walking. Not well, but walking indeed. And just in case he tries to prove me wrong again, check out the video at the end of the post (sorry for my "mom voice" and the fact that it's sideways):

And finally, here is the last installment of our medical school story: As thoughts turned in Ryan's mind, I was praying desperately for revelation. This plea culminated with the earthquake in Haiti, when medical personnel from the states were flocking to the area to help. “Ryan should be there,” I thought. Our parents must have had the same thoughts, because one evening as we were preparing to leave Ryan's parents' house, they stopped us and asked to talk with us. His mom and dad both felt heavy burdens on their hearts to encourage us to try one more time. We listened. When we left, I felt such peace that this was indeed the revelation I had been praying for. I mentally prepared myself to persuade Ryan that he should try, because I thought for sure that he would be opposed. In his mind, that door had been slammed shut, and he was not going to go through the painstaking effort of prying it back open. But remarkably, Ryan felt like he should try too. That night when we got home, we talked and prayed and decided, “OK, let's go for it.” When I told my mom the next day, she said that she had felt strongly as of late that Ryan should try too. More confirmation.

We put a plan into action. Because too much time had elapsed, Ryan would have to retake the MCAT. This meant relearning 2 semesters each of chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics, none of which he had looked at since graduating from Bradley 2 years ago. He signed up for the May 1 test, and he set up a schedule that would allow him to cover all the material within a 3 month time frame. Morning after morning, he woke up early and studied. When he got home from work, he studied. He took multiple practice tests in effort to be properly prepared. As the test date got closer, I began to get scared. He had worked SO hard, and I was afraid that despite his best efforts, he would be disappointed again. I prayed that all of his efforts would be rewarded. His practice tests had been going very well, and I prayed that they were a foreshadowing of the actual test on the 1st. They day arrived and he left. I prayed. When it was over, he called, and I held my breath as I waited to hear how it went. I desperately didn't want to hear that it was really rough, or that he didn't have time to get through some of the sections, or that he froze up. Praise God, he felt that it went very well. One section was a little rocky, but overall, he was pleased. Thank you Lord! Now, we had to wait. Results would be in on June 1.

Throughout this month, I was prayerful that Ryan had performed to the utmost of his ability, using the gifts God had given him. As the 1st of June approached, I began to get worried again. And I knew I shouldn't, because it was all in God's hands, and the Bible commands us not to worry, for who can add a single hour to their life? I was afraid of having to reassure him that everything would be OK when I was actually hurting inside too. June 1 arrived, and the results were in at 5 PM Eastern time. When Ryan got home from work, we looked. Ryan and I had agreed that as long as the score was above a 30, we would rejoice and cheer. He scored a 38. Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! He picked me up and swung me around and we cheered and shouted thanks to God. We called our family and told them the good news. It wasn't an acceptance letter, but it was a giant step in the right direction.

That pretty much brings us to where we are we are now. We have learned countless lessons over the past several years. Largely, we learned a lesson of patience, waiting on God's timing, and being humble. Perhaps, for reasons we can't see but God can, He didn't want us in school those first years of our marriage. Perhaps, we were leaning on that assurance that it was Ryan's efforts that would bring the acceptance letter when it's the blessing of God. Now, I don't mean to say that we don't have to take responsibility, that Ryan could have slacked off and not studied at all for the MCAT and that God would have given him a 38 anyway. I think we absolutely have to make efforts. But, we must also “trust in the Lord with all your heart, LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” Perhaps, God had to bring us to a place where we could really use us as he wants to. He had to make us humble, take away our ease and comfort. We have to meet Jesus where he is, and he is not up on some high pedestal. Jesus was the servant to all. He was on the floor washing the disciples' feet.

Now, we are excited to see what happens. We are certainly hoping and praying for admission, but if not, God will not leave us or forsake us. He loves us.

Anyway, that was a super long post...hope you made it through. I hope you are enjoying your "Finally Friday"!!!