Closing one chapter and starting another

This past weekend, my wonderful wife and oldest sister hosted a graduation party for me. For as wonderful as the gifts were, the real treat was fellowshiping with my family. COVID-19 kept us apart for much of the year so being able to see my aunts, uncles, cousins, mentees (yes, they are every bit as much family as my blood kin), and my in-laws was the real gift. This past weekend also really showed me how loved I am. A man who has a loving family is never poor. Or alone.

The other thing that this weekend symbolized is the closing of a chapter and the starting of another. When I set out to get into a U.S. medical school in 2016-'17, I had no idea how I was going to do so. I had little guidance and little money. I also wanted to earn my PhD so I started that in the late spring of 2018. Wow. That was a LOT of work. I was a full-time doctoral student who also worked full-time teaching at three different universities. Simultaneously, I was preparing for the MCAT, helping Eboni with her dissertation research, and eventually, moving to Austin, TX, working on medical school applications, starting a new job, and dealing with the COVID lock downs.

With the help of God and my hard-charging wife, I successfully completed all that I set out to do. I wrapped up my PhD with a 3.759 overall GPA and a successful run of co-authored articles on top of a well-done dissertation. My wife and I grew closer during the COVID pandemic and I love that most important role that I have in life: That of being a husband. I also successfully navigated the medical school admissions process, earned a full scholarship, and will be starting medical school at UIWSOM on July 26th. In fact, orientation will be the week of the 19th and the White Coat Ceremony will be on Saturday, the 24th. I really am closing a significant chapter of my life and preparing to start writing another. I'm not nervous at all but I am apprehensive and ready to get this party started as I look forward to what the Lord has in store. I'm hoping that, in addition to a successful first year of medical school, to drop 100 lbs. (I am contemplating re-enlisting in the Texas Army Guard via the Direct Commissioning Program for medical officers), and I hope that Eboni and I will have a child. There is a lot to look forward to and I look forward to everything that the Lord has in store for me!