I was going to update yesterday's post after I received an invitation from the school I had a phone interview with - I had not expected that invite for another week - but today's message makes that a moot point. I received a phone call from the Ph.D. coordinator at Texas Tech University letting me know I have been officially accepted. He also let me know what my compensation would be as a doctoral student (they call it salary, other schools call it a stipend), which makes the offer complete. I will receive a letter later today with all he said in writing, but it is nice to have the personal touch of a direct contact.
So, I now know where I will be headed next fall: Lubbock, TX, and Texas Tech University. We loved our visit. My wife made a great connection with the wife of my future professor, and I connected well with several. We loved the town, the church, the temple (it will be great to have it only a few minutes from our home), and really everything about it. Most importantly, I prayed about it the entire time I was at my in-laws, and I received a blessing from my father-in-law. In that blessing, I clued in to the word "guidance" as much as anything else. The very next day, one of my professors replied to my email to encourage me strongly to accept the offer if I felt right about it, and another went from telling me to wait to agreeing that I should probably accept it. I already felt the answer was to accept, but with the blessing and those two emails I saw more than coincidence. I saw an answer to prayer.
So, in a few months, we will move to Texas, one of the last places in the country I ever imagined living. We'll be among the thousands of windmills, the tumbleweeds, and the flatland, but most importantly, we'll be among people who care about us and want to see me succeed. I never imagined my search would come to such a great place, and yet here I am, grateful for the guidance I have received from mentors and friends, but also thankful I - no, we - had the faith to follow the Lord's will a few months ago.
-- Robert
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Welcome to Texas. Officially. :)
Thanks. And Howdy. Or whatever I'm supposed to say as a Texan-to-be.
I promise not to buy cowboy boots or a big belt buckle.
Giddy up and congratulations! You're not far from New Mexico, eh?
Lubbock is very close to New Mexico, a little farther from Oklahoma, and just on the other side of that OK finger is Colorado. Basically, it's sort of in the middle of everything and yet the middle of nowhere. It's beautiful, but in a stark sort of way. It's just a few hours from Dallas, a few hours from Austin, and a few hours from Mexico, as well, so we have access to plenty there. Still, I like that it is a town unto itself and that it has so much of its own needs met without another metropolis nearby. They call it a Hub City for a reason.
Thanks for the congrats.
I love the idea of being in the middle of everything, but in the middle of nowhere.
It's darkly poetic.
Once upon a time, long ago, I imagined myself a poet. I might've written five decent poems, depending on who you ask. Maybe some seeps out every now and then still.
Thanks.
Yes, I do believe you've told me about your poetry.
Really? I can't recall having done so...
Amazing how quickly the mind goes.
Post a Comment