Yay for today!

It's my birthday! :)

Really, though, yay for today because I am one step closer to being completely done with school! I received the official feedback from the graduate school today on my dissertation submission. I have a few minor edits to make and will be submitting it today for a well-timed happy birthday to myself present! :)

In the spirit of that, here is a section from my acknowledgements. And I just wanted to say that while I could not address all of the amazing people in my life who have supported me through the years, if you're reading this, you are probably one of those people. So THANK YOU! :)

            I never imagined the process of writing my dissertation would take me several years and would be written primarily in a state far from North Carolina. While writing my dissertation has not been what I imagined, I am grateful for the process it became and the knowledge I gained. I could never and would never have made it this far had I not had so many amazing people on my team. I am a sports lover at heart and this metaphor – of my team – has truly helped me stay centered throughout this process.

My team begins with my family. My parents have always said I can do anything I put my mind to. As I have gone through life I have recognized the limits of this - I am positive I cannot be a professional singer even if I worked really hard at it – however, this go-get-‘em attitude has kept me focused and helped me hold on when I wanted to give up. I am so grateful for my mother’s fierce dedication to her children, her determination, and her unfaltering love; my father’s encouragement, long conversations over soccer, and unwillingness to follow the “status quo;” and my brother’s compassion, loyalty, and love for his big sister. I have also been so lucky to have an amazing extended family that has helped me, some in ways they will never know. My grandmother, Honey, is the epitome of a strong southern woman and I am grateful for her humor, love, and cooking. My late grandfather, Pa, instilled in me the importance of simplicity and patience. Grandmother and Grandfather Hodges taught me the importance of hard work and following your passions, whether those involved chemistry, flying, or sewing.

Throughout my life I have been fortunate to meet so many fabulous women, all of whom have helped me in one way or another through this process. It began in middle school when I met Jenny, my first and now longest friend. While we may have started out as awkward middle school students - wearing horse and wolf t-shirts and worrying about zits and boys - our friendship has grown into one of constant support and love. She is an amazing woman and I am lucky to have shared so many years of friendship with her. Then there are the women from North Carolina State University, especially Jenn and Melissa, who have seen me through years of school and amazingly maintained enough patience for the loss of perspective that comes with educational processes like these to work at being my friend even when I could not. Thank you for that – I cannot express how much it means to me. Through those years of education, I have met even more amazing and dear friends. At Wake Forest it was a love of the same music that led to my friendship with Betsy. Her beautiful spirit and calming presence encourage me to be a better me every day. It was also at Wake Forest where I met Laura, at the time a professor and mentor, and now a friend. Her compassion for others, gentleness with students, passion for counseling and way of living provide me with continual inspirational.

            The final step in my educational journey led me to a cohort with nine other women - nine incredibly unique and strong women who have all left a piece of their strengths with me. It was a difficult three years (or more) together and I know that it would never have been bearable without you all. Thank you especially to Metoka, who endured my anxieties through Wake Forest and UNCG, and who has an amazing way of helping me maintain perspective. I will remember my time at UNCG fondly, largely because of Holly, my partner in crime, neighbor and friend. I cannot imagine making it through that program without her and I am extremely grateful for our friendship.

While at UNCG, my path crossed with those of many other students and faculty who were instrumental in helping me maintain perspective and ultimately succeed. I was fortunate to be assigned the same graduate student office as Adria and Carla – both of whom made late days of work so much fun. In addition, their knowledge, as students ahead in the process, was instrumental in keeping me sane. Amazingly, Adria still has that ability today and I am grateful for our quick get-togethers, even when infrequent. I am also grateful for the supervisors I had at UNCG. As an introvert, supervision was a comfortable and safe space for me to learn about myself as a person and as a counselor.  Thank you Patty for your consistent support, encouragement and challenges throughout the years. Thank you Dr. Young and Dr. Mobley – your passion for the art of counseling is evident in your supervision and I am a better counselor and person because of that.

            Moving to Texas in the middle of a dissertation is less than ideal. I often felt disconnected and alone in my struggle to finish. I am grateful to my friend and fellow North Carolina transplant, Jennifer, for helping me maintain perspective, giving me necessary breaks, and reminiscing about North Carolina with me.

While I am so very fortunate to have amazing family, friends, and mentors, I remain the most grateful for my husband, Chip, who has endured every step of this process with me. For most of our relationship I have been in school; first a master’s program and then a doctoral program. Through it all he has maintained the steadiness and support that I have needed. He also pushed when I needed it, even when I may not have appeared or acted appreciative of that pushing. Beyond his support of my education and ultimately my dreams, he is a true match for me - the only one I can imagine putting up with my simultaneous need for independence and closeness, the only one who will listen to my counseling babbling at length, and the only one who loves me in such a selfless and complete way. Thank you for all of that and so much more.

Whether you call those who love and support you a family, a village, or a team – I firmly believe it is those relationships that create a life of meaning and purpose. Thank you to each and every one of you who are on my team.