Afterward {a recap}

Comfort food. Oh, sweet room service!

My perch, eagle's nest height.
This is where I prepared for my thesis...

Loving thoughts sent all the way from the UK.
Thank you, Meg!

I received so many wonderful comments and emails from my blogging friends. Wow--I can't even tell you how much that filled my heart! I spent a large portion of my defense talking about how blogging and this blogging community has influenced my writing. I not only thought about all of you, I talked about you! Your energy was with me, loud and clear. Oh, and I should mention that I thanked you all in the acknowledgments, too. ;)

Ready or not...
This is me about 15 minutes before leaving for the defense. I sort of felt like shitting my pants with nervousness...but then I thought: "ahh, hell, I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be!"

and guess what!

I passed! :)

This is the after-thesis-defense-photo. Dr. Nancy Michael (one of my very most favorite professors ever {far left}) walked passed the room just as we were finishing up--perfect timing! The only person this photo is missing is Dr. Mark Christiansen. But these here are the most important women in my academic life. The description I have for them: intelligent, fierce, creative, empowering, and capable of great amounts of love. I might have had a tough time in grad school, but holy kali ma, I am grateful for these powerful women in my life! I have to admit that yesterday made every struggling bit of the past 3 years totally worthwhile.

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Afterwards, I drove the 4 hours home, then stayed up until midnight getting ready for today's event. 5am came too soon. After much rain and forecast of snow, I was glad to see the sun just barely peaking out on an otherwise dark horizon. By 6am there were birds chirping. Whew!!

Saturday: Walk for Animals

These girls, participating in the walk, both had little kittens tucked in their jackets. So cute! I couldn't resist taking a photo. ;)

Speaking of kittens...
This is a painting of Opal, my hair stylist's baby:

I have more photos and stories to share...but for now I mostly just wanted to say hi and thank you and to let you know that my week has been a raging success. You all have been with me in more ways than you could possibly realize. Despite the exhausted stupor I presently find myself in, I cannot even tell you how good it feels to have closed one chapter of my life and opened another--all in one fell swoop. The timing could not have been more perfect for these details to fall into place. Divine synchronization? I don't know. But one thing I DO know is that I'm going to sleep good tonight!!!

~