Accomplishments & The Chaos They Bring

 This has been an intense week. Not everything came together as I planned, but I know it did exactly as God planned.

First, let's look at the accomplishments:

I received my diploma. I know that's a post hoc accomplishment since I finished my MS on March 20, but it feels more real with that certificate in hand.

Next, I received my passing score on the AMFTRB National MFT Exam. Again, this is a space where the work had already been done. I took the test back on April 18, but the score report didn't release until May 19! That was the longest wait ever! The way they administer and score the test is so stressful. I didn't even know what the passing score would be until I received my scores, which takes roughly 20 business days from the close of the testing window. This concerns how they score each exam and how they batch all tests taken during any testing window. I really think, with today's technology, it should be a faster process, but what do I know?

I also started my PhD program on Monday. The decision to pursue my PhD was complex, but after much consideration, I knew it was the right one. If all goes according to plan, I'll be graduating by June 2031. 

This is where the chaos starts. This is the first week most of the kids are out of school for the summer, so all the appointments we needed to make are this week. Add to that, Nicci graduates Saturday. Between all six of the lives-at-home kids, that's seven appointments, including medical specialists, orthodontics, Senior parent activities, etc. That makes for very busy days!

I wasn't originally planning to start classes this week because I already had so much going on. Still, due to funding changes for advanced degrees in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which goes into effect July 1, I needed to be in class by May 18 to remain under the current funding structure. And, a PhD program is no joke. As much as the intensity increased between BS and MS, it increased even more between MS and PhD. For Week 1, I had several articles to read, 3 papers to write in APA 7 formatting, research to complete those papers, and a meeting with my professor. 

Add to that church activities. This week, our church held a special presentation by the Creation Truth Foundation titled " Our American Founding." The presentation was done in 4 parts, so we were at church Sunday through Wednesday for that. Sunday was our regular 10am to 1130am format, while Monday through Wednesday was 7pm to about 830pm each night. Also, it was the last week of Ladies Bible Study before we broke for summer, so I was there for that Tuesday from 10am to 1245pm. 

And the chaos doesn't stop there. 

And the chaos doesn't stop there. Since I finally got my score in for the AMFTRB National exam, I can now finish my licensure applications for Oklahoma and Texas. That means yet another fingerprint background check, since everyone wants their own through the system they use. I also need to schedule meetings with three people to get the required forms signed so they can be submitted to the appropriate licensure boards. Completing this process is especially important since I have been out of the office since March 20 and cannot return to work until I am licensed. I have several clients who elected to take a break while I am out of the office, so I am working hard to get back to them.

Plus, we live in the country. Not a little out of town, like 20+ minutes to anything we need to do out in the country. Most of the appointments and activities this week have been about an hour from the house. That means I have been up very late each night for me. Generally, I am asleep by 830pm since I get up around 330am, but we weren't even home most nights until around 10pm. Getting to bed so late has resulted in me sleeping almost an hour later each day, which may not seem like much, but with this week's schedule, it is hugely impactful on my ability to get everything done.

At this point, I have spent more than enough time on this post, and I know I have a million other things to do. Today is Nicci's graduation and the day she moves out of the dorms, so I won't have time after about 7am to work on anything else. Also, all my assignments for this week are due by Sunday night. With that in mind, I'd better get back to all the things I still have to do this week.