FINALLY!!!

Well as I have mentioned before I am in the graduate school application process. I officially sent in all my applications, transcripts, money, etc about 3 weeks ago. The biggest hang up in the process was getting recommendation letters from various people who have either been a professor or someone who has supervised or helped me in my "journey", etc. Those who know me know that I am a planner. I like to have my ducks in a row. I like to make lists and then make additional lists for the lists. Back in September I made a graduate school check list. I had things on there like register for the GRE, take the GRE, ask professor so and so to write a recommendation letter, update resume, etc. The biggest push for things was that the program I am applying to at Boston College had a deadline of February 1st because the program starts in the summer. The other schools I am applying to the programs start in the fall so their deadlines were more in the April range and both of those schools have rolling admission so I decided to get it all done around the same time. My hope was that by applying to everything around the same time I would hear back around the same time and be able to make a decision.

There was just one slight problem with this....two of my applications were missing 1 little recommendation letter. You see I had asked this professor originally in November to complete these letters for me. I thought hmm if I give her 3 months that should be PLENTY of time. Well my friends I am sad to say that was not enough time. The deadline came and went and still no letter. Multiple e-mails and contacts and promises and another hand delivery of what needed to be filled out. Another person who completed letters for me gave me some valuable advice. She told me, umm you might want to ask someone else. She told me that I would be surprised at the dozens of applications that don't even get a glance because they are missing a piece. Oh goodness! I kind of wanted to give up and curl into the corner because I hate missing a deadline and how would it look at this point to ask someone else umm hey I needed this by February 1st so umm would you mind??? It was yet another lesson to me about letting go of my people pleasing, how are they going to look at me attitude and do what is right. I felt also at this point that I needed to finish what I had started so that I don't have to play the "what if" game for years to come and hello I really felt the Lord leading me in this direction and last time I checked my God is bigger than recommendation letters!

I contacted another professor and he very honestly told me that he would love to do them and had a lot going on but to give them to him and he would see what he could do. Tuesday after work I slid the papers under his door and Thursday I received an e-mail... "Finished and in the mail"
Oh what a relief to know that at least now my applications will be viewed and Lord willing I will have a hard decision to make.