The End. A real good place to start.

Last Saturday, as the final graduation festivity ended and family returned home, friends dispersed, and I took off my cap and gown reality began to sink in. It was all over. Anxiety began to fill where excitement had been. 

For the first time in days the house was quiet. We were alone. There was no celebration to go to, no pending plans to be carried out.

And it was overwhelming. 

I have never not been a student. I'm not ready to leave these people. I'm not ready to leave this place. 

What if we hate it?

...I'm not sure if I have mentioned this...

I hate change. 

And I was staring a lot of change right in the eye.

At the beginning of last week we lived in Columbia, by the end of the week we lived in Republic.

Michael and I began our last Sunday in Columbia at The Crossing. 

... ok, we began it with donuts... then The Crossing...

The sermon was over Exodus 21:1-11 regarding laws for slaves. What really hit me was the way these verses reflected God's love for us. 

5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.

God became man as Jesus. Jesus lived as a servant to God and people while on earth and became the ultimate servant to us when he gave His life to buy us out of slavery. He bought us out of our slavery to sin. He set us free. What we do with that freedom is now completely of our free will.

I want this verse to be my story. 

I love my master so much, that although I can be free, I will not go out free.

Nail my ear to the Lord's doorpost. I will be His slave forever.

This seems most liberating of all.

As sadness and anxiety about all the change in my life filled my heart I reflected on these facts:

God is finished with us here. 

We made the decision to go to Springfield in prayer and in order to serve God.

He will go with us and use us where we are going. 

Above all, we can serve Him regardless of the place we are in and the people that surround us. 

As we left church, I felt peace.

That afternoon Boone enjoyed one last trip to his favorite dog park.

We went to our favorite restaurant in Columbia, Flat Branch.

Then Michael returned to Springfield for work, while I remained behind to pack, clean, and direct the movers.

I found this in the bible I used last summer while I was packing. It is from my grandma when she gave me two hundred dollars to go to Guatemala. It gave me such reassurance.

And tears. Assurance and tears. 

Thank God for friends that don't allow me to be stuck in the house all day while two stranger men pack up my first home.

Especially when our first interaction goes like this:

Mover 1: "Ma'am, can I use your restroom?"

Me: "Of course! There is only toilet paper in the upstairs bathroom."

Mover 1: "Oh.. I.. don't.. umm.. need toilet paper."

Me: "Oh, umm, ok."

... boys don't use toilet paper?

What an awful, awkward way to find out.

Rachel spent the day helping organize my car and run errands... but mainly laying on the floor in my furniture less living room giggling. 

Michael and I had joked about what to do with our night stand drawer. 

You know what I'm talking about. 

Michael suggested putting really weird things in there to make the movers uneasy. 

He suggested a spatula. I suggested a knife. 

He got worried.

Sure enough:

Mover 2: "Katen, I have a question."

(Yes, he called me Katen.)

I go upstairs, the bottom night stand drawer is open. I feel the heat rise to my face.

Mover 2: "You have a bunch of things that will move around in here."

Me: "Oh, uhhhhhhh.. that's ok, just put some paper in there." 

Not making eye contact, trying to walk out of the room.

Mover 2: (Looking through the drawer) "Like, uhh, this play dough."

I slapped my forehead in my mind... why, oh why was there play dough in there?!

Then I see him pick up a game we won at our bible study white elephant Christmas exchange labelled  "Playful Sex." 

I beat my head against the wall in mind. 

Mover 2: "There is a candle in here and we can't transport candles." 

As he opens the box to reveal an inch tall red votive candle on top of a blind fold. 

Me: "Uh-huh, yep, I'll take that."

And run away, forever, into a hole, far far away from here. 

Again, thank God, and Rachel, I was not there alone. 

Boone and I dropped the keys off to our first home and hit the road to Springfield.

Dad Disclaimer:  I was at a stop light and he didn't do this the whole way!

Boone quickly made himself at home.

In the past week I got an impromptu lunch date with my best friend, a weekend visit from Rachel,

"The one without a husband"

"Baby Makin' Wife"

Michael's read: "The husband of many..."

"Takes em in off the street and lets them sleep in his bed"

was able to see my mom one week day afternoon, spent a day by the pool with my nephews and Amanda,  

had and lost our first co-ed softball game with my new co-workers, celebrated my niece's 5th birthday, 

and got go to my nephew's baseball game. 

I have loved every minute.

...Except unpacking... and the realization that when I told Mover 2 to throw away Rubbermaid drawers instead of throwing away the empty ones he threw away the ones with our marriage license and my birth certificate in it. NBD.

Now on to studying 2 hours a day for boards, starting my first real job, sharing some exciting news, and, above all, serving God.

Mischief Managed

It has been a long winding road that led to walking across the steps of Jesse Hall with my beloved peers and future colleagues in front of my amazing family and never failing support system as

"Dr. Katelyn Rene Wilson"

was said and a doctoral hood was placed over my shoulders.

I must say that it was one of the proudest moments of my life.

I did not do this on my own.

Every test, every service opportunity, every accomplishment - was at His hands. Not mine.
God brought me here. He equipped me and sent me. He saw me through.

To God be the glory.

This day has been my goal, an aspiration far in the distance for many years. It seemed as though it would never come. It is hard to sit here now and reflect on that fact that it has come and gone.

Physical therapy school became a home.  The faculty and my classmates, a family. I could not have hand picked 43 more perfect people to spend the past 3 years with.

I have made lifelong friends that have challenged me, loved me, and made me better.

For the past three years I have sat next to Dana in every class, we have been partners for every check out, studied for every test, worshipped God, attended bible studies, spent many nights playing card games and watching trashy shows with our husbands, and ran hundreds of miles together.  Though these things will change and I will miss her constant presence in my life, our friendship is rooted in love for Christ and one another.  Our friendship has been a dependable and steady source of encouragement and growth since I first sat next to her in gross anatomy.

Rachel and I are the same person in most ways. Our tastes, our ambitions, our emotions, our faith. I know that no matter where I go, I will never be alone.

Merrell's genuine kindness and thoughtfulness is a constant source of inspiration.  I am thankful for her positive influence in my life.

God has truly blessed me through these friendships. For each, I will be forever thankful.

I filled with pride and gratitude as I saw my family standing on the quad.  I wouldn't be here if they hadn't been there.

My husband has worked hard to provide for me financially and spiritually throughout physical therapy school. He has attended every school event, brought me treats for long study nights, praised me for every achievement and believed in me when I didn't.

No one loves me like mom does, so fervently unconditional, so generously. Her warmth saw me through hard days.

My grandparents have always been shining examples of hard work and perseverance. I hope they saw that in me that day.

My brothers have given me a heart for all people. For when they were unlovable, I loved them dearly. I love more like Christ because of them.  I will be a better physical therapist for it.

My sister, Alicia, and her husband, Shannon, have housed me, fed me, and been great friends and supporters through this transition.  Alicia is always lifting me and my accomplishments up. When she introduces me to someone she never hesitates to brag on me, much more so than I deserve. I am so thankful to be so close to such good people and watch our relationships grow over weeknight dinners and family game nights. 

I have lived two hours from my best friend for the past 7 years. We have become wives and mother and our lives have changed drastically. But I know I have never left her prayers and she has never left mine. Her Godly example has challenged and guided me.

When I started gross anatomy my dad wrote this in my dissection manual.

He has worked tirelessly to provide me with an education to pursue a career I am passionate about.  I  seized every opportunity his hard work has afforded me to make the most of my education. I can't express how thankful I am to have the privilege to be a physical therapist and how instrumental my dad was in making this happen.

I hope I have made you proud, Dad.

My family has made all the difference in my life and this journey.

All my homework, exams, clinical rotations - the past 2,555 days culminated this past weekend in a matter of 24 hours. I sit here today no longer a student, but a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Though this chapter of my life has come to a close and I am sad to see it go, I am excited.
God has again equipped me. He has given me new skills. Skills that can be used to make other's lives better.

Again, the glory to God.

Playing catch up

The past few weeks have been insane.

Let me catch you up a tad.

Michael started his new job in Springfield. 

We moved into one apartment in Springfield on a Monday. 

Another in Republic on Tuesday.

By we I mean Michael and I and the dogs. 

Not our stuff... 

So, we have been camping on a deflating air mattress.

Thankfully, mom was kind enough to make a mattress my graduation present!

My clinical at Mercy ended but for the first time I didn't have to say goodbye to my patients.

I will be back as a physical therapist in 3 short weeks!

Boone and I went for our first run together. He walked... I ran. 

It wore him out.

For like 5 minutes.

Date night included "Frozen" on my computer with a tube of cookie dough.

Boone's still cute.

And destructive.

For Mother's Day he ate the perfectly fresh baked cookies I made for my stepmom.  

He is such a sweetheart.

 

One of my best friends, Merrell, from my physical therapy class got married. 

She was a gorgeous bride.

I am currently spending this week in Columbia. Running with Dana, slumber partying with Rachel, enjoying this town I love and saying good-bye to this chapter in my life.

Who knew 7 years would feel so short?

Graduation is in 2 days. 

What a bittersweet and rewarding moment I have finally arrived at. 

Here goes nothing.