Now is the time!

This past Friday was a day we've been anticipating since Bill started medical school almost four years ago! It was Match Day, a day in which all the 4th year med students across the country find out where they matched for residency.

It's amazing how much the process of "matching" resembles sorority or fraternity rush in my opinion. I know that may sound silly, but after having gone through rush in college, I can't help but see the resemblance! Bill spent over 4 months this past fall doing away rotations at different programs and interviewing all across the state and even in North Carolina. After making a good impression in interviews, each of the programs did all they could (made phone calls, sent emails and letters, etc.) to convince Bill as to why he should choose their particular program and why he'd be a perfect fit. Then, in February, Bill ranked the programs where he interviewed from his 1st choice to last choice and turned in his rank order list. The programs also ranked all the students they interviewed and turned in their list. Finally, a computer system matches such and such student to such and such residency program determined by how each ranked the other.

And then came Match Day in which each student opened an envelope at the same time with a letter stating where they would be heading for Residency. Quite the process, right?! Well, Bill matched at his first choice, the McClennan County Family Medicine Residency Program in Waco! We are absolutely ecstatic! This particular program is really impressive, and we think it will be a perfect fit for Bill. To make things even better, two of our closest friends from Lubbock also matched in the same program! David and Amanda Schaefer and their adorable son, Ryker, will be making the move to Waco as well. They too are excited, and I'm thankful to already have such a close friend in Amanda who will be going through this whole "life as a resident's wife" thing with me. God is good!!

We had a St. Patty's Day themed, "Good Luck Docs," party at my in-laws' house Friday afternoon to celebrate the occasion. Since most of our friends are heading to various cities for residency, we're just trying to savor every last second that we have together here in Lubbock! We had a great turn-out of around 40 people, and the party was a blast. Bill's parents were fabulous hosts, and we so appreciate them opening up their home and helping out as much as they did. My parents also came to town for the weekend, and Bill and I were thrilled that they could be there to celebrate with us during such a special time.

So now we are looking ahead to this next chapter of life which begins in approximately 2 months! We will most likely make the move right after Bill's graduation in May. It's a bittersweet time for us, as our years here in Lubbock have been wonderful. We've made friendships that will last a lifetime, lived in the cutest little house that holds so many memories from our first years of marriage, and we've loved every second we've been able to share with Bill's parents living in the same town. Lubbock has been great to us, and I know Waco will be great to us as well. I've always been a huge fan of central Texas, and I am excited to return after 4 years away. This is a new chapter of life, and I have the feeling it will be a great chapter of life. To reflect on the title of this blog, I really do feel as though now is the time! This is the day the Lord has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Thanks to all of our friends and family for their constant support, encouragement, and prayers during this time in our lives. Words can't express just how grateful we are.