He's always been faithful : when I grow up....

I'm going to be a doctor! For real, though, y'all.

I GOT INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL!!!!!

I was accepted to medical school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center last Friday.. November 18, 2011.

It's a funny story, really. I've only wanted to be a doctor for well, the past 12 years of my life.. and this being the third time I had applied to medical school, I was becoming concerned that perhaps this wasn't really the path God desired for my life. He does that sometimes, you know. He changes you and your dreams and desires. I had even applied to nursing school, and taken classes at MSU to make that a possibility.

Then came the invitation to interview for medical school. That came in email form on October 17.. I was excited, yet tried not to dwell upon it because I knew (all too well) that they could say "no" again. So, I prepared as best I could, wore a great suit with rounded toe shoes (Ann claims that made all the difference! Whereas Clay Taylor says it was all in the eyeliner!) and interviewed my little heart out.

On November 17th. That's when I interviewed. For the third time. I didn't feel any different going into it.. only I knew that was the last time. If I hadn't gotten in that time, I wasn't going to apply again. I talked and laughed and expressed my love and passion for humankind (or tried to) and specifically for medicine. I suppose it went well?

I was cautioned that I may not hear back the next day, like usual because they were behind and had been out of town. (they = the admissions committee). So, on Friday when I hadn't heard anything by 12:30, I assumed they must not have discussed me and it was going to be two more weeks before I heard. Hard realization but nothing cheese dip and a coke couldn't fix.. so Raysha and I headed to eat Mexican in Ridgeland.
(correction: we headed to eat fancy, in brick restaurant Mexican.. apparently, there is a difference)

No sooner had we sat down at our table and the waiter appeared (in a tie, no less) to ask us for our drink orders, my email refreshed and one popped up that said "Congratulations" in the subject heading. That, my friends, is the secret code to "you got into medical school.. open me, open me"!! What excitement.. I began an ugly type of cry that probably made people think my dog had died or else I really hated Mexican. I began to incoherently talk to Raysha and hit her on the arm an exceedingly numerous amount of times before she decided I was making a scene and we should probably leave the restaurant. Good call, there.. I needed fresh air and wide open spaces.

Once outdoors, Raysha hugged me and spun me around.. I kept my ugly cry going.. I'm not a pretty crier.. I'm just not.

I was able to call my Mom, Cole, Kim Parker and Dell Taylor before the boyfriend and bffff made the news go global.. which was slightly overwhelming but yet so exciting! I had phone calls coming in from other countries.. literally! Laura Loftin called me from Ecuador.. what a surprise! She walked beside me so many steps in this journey; it was a joy to hear from her and share my excitement with her.
After having a slight breakdown and panic attack (hey, sometimes I get super overwhelmed and happy about good news.. it just happens), I ate some coke and cheese dip (turns out it can be used as celebratory lunch too) and a cupcake. I had so many calls and text messages.. it was incredible. What an outpouring of love and support.

I cannot say it enough times: I am thankful to every single person who has encouraged me, supported me, even just chatted with me about my desire to be a doctor. Thank you for how you all have inspired me to keep going, even when all I wanted to do was give up. I have the best friends and family I could ask for.. and am so incredibly blessed. Please just don't stop loving and supporting me now. Here comes another difficult part: getting through medical school! So keep the encouragement and support coming!

I am incredibly overjoyed to be able to type this blog post.. it's been two years in the making. Which leads me to another sappy story. Two years ago, the best friend EVER, bought me two cards. One was a "I'm so happy you got into medical school" card and one was a "They are dumb and don't know what they're missing out on.. why don't you get a dog now" card. Since I have Baxter and only recently a medical school acceptance, we all know which card I received two years ago... however, that same best friend saved the happy card and gave it to me on Friday. It literally makes me cry as I type that. Because I am overwhelmed by her belief and support in me.. that I would one day get into medical school. To keep that card.. in the midst of moving three times in the past two years, it never got thrown away. That kind of support is what is going to make me an incredible student and push me to become the best doctor I can be.

Here are a few pictures of the fun celebratory night..