6 Months to Live (through)

Well, I survived the GRE (the graduate records exam, for you uninitiated), and I'm happy to say that I was surprised at how well I got through the thing.  It was probably one of the more impersonal experiences I've had in my life -- sitting alone in a room full of cubicled computers for four hours under a constantly running fan of some sort.  My only human contact was the test proctor who was required to wander through the room at random intervals to check up on me. My biggest nail-biting moment was the first three math questions:  waaaay out in left field for me- I had to completely guess...   I sure was glad to be done with it. 

So now it is just down to the Commission I go to in two weeks.  I will be filling out applications during that whole time to work toward getting accepted into seminary.  By the way: Yale is out of the running-- their application deadline was this weekend and there was no way I could get all my references together in time!  I have considered adding Virginia Theological Seminary as a possible third choice (mostly because of their generous financial aid offerings and application policies).  I have scheduled a visit to Austin on the first weekend in March to see the campus of the Seminary of the Southwest.

We've been talking these choices over endlessly here at home, and Southwest and CDSP are on nearly equal footing for us.  We've gotta really make some tough decisions this year.  My wife was stuck yesterday on the fact that Southwest would have things like bugs (cockroaches, specifically) and stifling heat that we haven't missed so much since we left the South...

I myself am stuck on the fact that regardless of our choice, if things go the way we plan we will be leaving Bellingham (maybe for good) in 6 months.  It's a sobering idea.  Suddenly I'm becoming very nostalgic for a place I haven't even left.  I hope we are able to make time in the coming craziness to really enjoy our last summer in paradise.  I will miss calling this town home.