Celebrating Summer

Since it's officially fall with a slight breeze and less than 90 degree weather in the lovely la Florida, I thought I would reflect on the close of the summer season:

Graduating from PT program and officially becoming a doctor! After 2 decades of school, it's crazy to think that it's over. No more finals' weeks or group projects (at least academic). It was also the end of 3 years being with the same people who were all working toward the same goal with a support system that also wanted to see us all achieve that goal. Being done is bittersweet.

Celebrating our 3rd anniversary. The end of PT school also has brought the end of our married relationship as we've known it: student/wife. We celebrated by going on our honeymoon cruise, this time with my parents, my parents in law, my sister in law and her family as a dual celebration of anniversary and graduation.

Finding out that my group poster for the national pediatric conference was accepted, which means that I am published in the Pediatric PT journal!!! So exciting, even if it's just the abstract.

Study, study, study to pass the NPTE. The weeks leading up the exam were so stressful. I hadn't passed a practice exam and was afraid that I should move the test date even though the only option would be in October. So scary. I passed a practice exam the week before the real thing and the stress level came down a bit. I went through the review book (all 800 pages of dense material) in a week for the second week in a row; tried to have a normal Sunday before the exam; had prayers from friends for a good night's sleep and of course to pass; and then hung out with friends while waiting for my name to be called to start the 5 hour exam.

Wait, wait, wait for the results to be released. PTs older than me who took the exam by paper have no sympathy for my complaints of waiting 1 week, but seriously, it was such a long week. Throughout the week  I went back and forth debating whether I had passed or not, thinking more that I hadn't than I had. Surprise, surprise when watching the end of Master Chef to see "passed" next to NPTE with my name. Seriously, top 10 moment in life!!! Praise God!

A summer break for the first time since the summer before senior year of high school. I worked summer camps for most of my undergrad summers and then had PT school during grad school summer, so this was my first break. And guess what? I was bored. There's only so much cleaning and dog walking when I can't celebrate summer with Senor Seano. But it was still a summer.

I started work - my first grown up job. Not where I thought I would be and then temporarily not even where I was moved, but praise God, my summer break was able to come to an end and I finally got to sign my name with letters after it! Another surreal moment realizing 7 years of work had finally paid off.

And to celebrate the start of fall, I got my insurance number so I should get to change sites and start working more than 10 hours a week. Woohoo!

With so many major life moments happening this summer, I didn't want to forget how blessed I am from God. What a great summer!