Sunday, April 17, 2011

Placed

It's official...I've chosen a grad school.
Now I'm freaking out that it's really happening!
Massachusetts General Hospital
Institute of Health Professions
*an academic affiliate of
Massachusetts General Hospital*

Ranking third on the U.S. News and World Report's
Honor Roll for best hospital and hospital affiliate's
for 2010-2011...it's an impressive facility.
For the next two years I'll be walking through these doors towards my future. Well, maybe more like walking towards the clinic and classrooms, but it's finally the first step towards becoming "what I want to be when I grow up."
I mean please...doesn't this just scream, "When I grow up I want to be a speech pathologist?!"
(Some people might think I was a little more on point with the BS in Psychology since this outfit is a little psychotic haha.)
But this just felt like home, and I'm so happy.
The institute is located right in Boston's Old Navy Yard of Charlestown and all the water and seagulls just made it feel like San Francisco...so familiar.
(Emerson College)
Mama and I kept plenty busy visiting other schools too, like George Washington University in D.C., Emerson College in Boston, and Boston University.
(Boston University)
While we were out there, I got accepted to Columbia University, too. I tried to 'joke-call' daddy and tell him we were just ganna add another week to our trip and go to New York too. Ironically it was April fools day so he didn't believe me. Didn't matter...after being in Boston, I didn't even want to go look anywhere else. It's a beautiful city.
Mama and I were actually quite impressed with how our timeline of "To-Do's" and "Want-To-Do's" blended so perfectly. We were very efficient and busy with the important open houses, housing hunts, and decision making.
But hello! It's Boston! You can't come all that way and not play.
(Mike's Pastry is famous for their Cannoli's)
Way too many choices. And there were people literally pushing against us from behind vying for a position to see all the pastries in the case. Super busy. Mama and I were like, "Too much pressure! Let's just pick one and get out of here." haha. And like the words in "The Sound of Music," they have string coming down from the ceiling they use to tie up the packages of treats.
Brown paper packages
tied up in strings...
The simple joys of room service.
Night life. Woo hoo!
Brumsy and Abbala
Prom 2011
Missed it while we were gone, so they kept us posted with photos.
(Harvard Yard)
They have a gorgeous library. The ladder was so 'Beauty and the Beast'.
Hello Michael Kors.
As soon as we saw this we knew I was ganna be just fine here. This store owns half of all the Singer sewing machines ever made and they display them in the window (in each of their establishments around the world) as an enticement to get people to come it. Let's just say it worked for me.
Who wouldn't fall in love with a place where you can find Vera Wang on one street (ahem...by appointment only as we were so informed when we tried to go look), hundreds of sewing machines on the next, then wrap it all up by eating lunch IN a window. Yes, we are sitting in the window booth where they put displays. Quaint~
(Boston Museum of Fine Art)
Beautiful glass work and impressionist paintings. When I asked if I could get a student discount, they asked if I was in high school. Awesome.
All glass. So cool.
This has been a magnet on our fridge forever, so mama and I just love this one.
There is something so cool to me about actually 'seeing' the signature of the artist. So real. Monet actually touched that canvas; he stood as close to it as I was!
Then, lunch with Michelle, my cousin who lives there. Her husband is graduating from Harvard this year and they are moving away. Such bummer timing.
Her little babe.

So, I may not have known since I was this little guy's age just what I wanted to be when I grew up. But I can't deny that I have truly been led to finding and deciding on studying speech pathology. I wanted, and actually quite expected, to walk onto the the different school campuses mama and I were going to visit and almost get an instant 'read' or feel for the place; like a strong "yes" or "no" that would tell me which one I should choose.
That didn't happen.
What did happen was something much more thought out and I'm sure better for me and my peace of mind. I really had to 'study it out for myself' and look over the small but potentially important differences between the programs of the various schools. It was scary for me to not have this overwhelming "yes!" of an answer. But I do have an answer, and I do feel peace.

The morning after mama and I visited the schools was Sunday; General Conference morning. I turned on some quiet music to at least let a tone of calm in, since unfortunately we weren't sure how much of conference we could catch with our other obligations of the trip for that day. The words of one of the songs struck me as I sat looking out our window view of the city in the morning. It was mercifully quite perfect for reassuring me that my leaning towards MGH was a good and correct decision; giving me not an overwhelming loud answer, but a peaceful calm.

With life up in the air
my faith has learned to fly.
I know who's hand
is covering my eyes.

Wherever I land
will be hallowed ground to me.
I will know that He has placed me
where I should be.

I am still nervous about this big change in my life. Logically, I know it's all very exciting and new. It's the right time in my life to move in this direction and there is so much I'm going to learn and experience. Emotionally, I am still a little bit shy of everything. Sometimes the heart is a little bit behind the knowledge of the mind. The blessing is, emotionally I also know that my Father in Heaven knows my concerns and will continue to guide me to find the emotional wisdom, strength and excitement for this next step in life that I could never come by logically~
Boston...here I come!

8 comments:

  1. AnneMarie, we sure have been thinking of you a lot! I am so glad you found your answer. I remember going through that when I was looking for the right dental hygiene program. You will always be grateful for this experience in Boston. I just hope Uncle Ric and I can come visit you! We love you! Aunt Mary

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  2. You are gonna be just fine. You know that. I'm so thrilled for you.

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  3. i just poseted but dont think it went through...ok so YAY for YOU!! i am so HAPPY you posted this in such great detail =) loved reading it and loved the pics. i wish EVERYONE at some point or another gets to experience the east coast! its such a great place to experience and learn from. oh gee i miss jersey now! hey i will be there in the summer for a doTERRA conference that i am putting on. we will be in the same time zone...hey hey!!

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  4. AnneMarie, this is SO exciting! I loved your post and all of the pics. And I love what you said about how we figure it out logically, but emotionally it might take a little bit to get used to it. I feel ya there. But it's like you said, we have a Heavenly Father who will take care of us. :) I hope Kev and I get to see you before you take off on your new adventure!

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  5. I am so so excited for you! It is going to be such a neat experience to live in BOSTON! Oh my gosh, I can't believe it. I will definitely have to come visit you soon. I am hoping Dan will get transfered somewhere close to there so we can see each other again. My workouts have been oh so lonely with out you. Pretty much every day I want to text you and beg you to come back!! I miss you, but I am so excited to hear about your adventures. Love you!
    PS - LOVE that picture with you and the sewing machines.

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  6. congratulations!! on your decision. hooray for you and all that awaits you. you'll love boston...it is almost impossible not to.

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  7. I am so happy to hear you've finally found the place for you. I look forward to reading of your adventures and where they will take you as you embark on this new chapter of your life. And being a tad nervous or shy is normal and it will pass with time. After all I keep being told that starting a new thing or going a new place is always going to be bring those feelings. Good luck.

    Val Nees

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  8. You got to see so much! Across from Mike's pastry is Modern Pastry (and a little down the street). The locals will tell you it is better, much smaller selection but they have the best macaroons and other great things too. You should also check out the Boston library, beyond beautiful!

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