Pinching Pennies

For those of you who don't know I've moved to start my doctors of physical therapy program! Terrifying and wonderful! Mom and I drove up here the end of the first week in August. Mom camped (literally on a flat air mattress) here for several days before heading out last Tuesday. She helped me get settled including helping me strap my new bed to the top of my car. I got it from one of my professors for free! Mom also treated me to many other things making my move here a lot easier.

I now live in a two bedroom flat 3 miles south of my campus. My roommate is great! I found her in the young single adult congregation of my church here. I attend a small branch of my church that is about 30 mins from where I live. I've already been told by the bishop that he wants to talk to me so a calling (church assignment) is not too far in my future I think. There is a LDS temple in St Louis which is really nice.

Last week was packed with orientation and now I feel over oriented. In fact the last day, no one asked questions with the hope that things would speed up and we could get out of there. My class consists of 82 people and we were told a million times that 99% of us would graduate and pass our boards the first time. It sure would stink to be that 1%. 

A lesson in pinching pennies: Needless to say these next several years are going to be real tight and more than once I've considered quitting the program and finding something cheaper to pursue. Now instead of going to the movies I check them out of the library, in stead of a trashcan I have a box in my room, instead of pasta I have ramen...On my walk up to campus the other morning I found myself praying and asking Heavenly Father how I was going to do this. I immediately caught site of a penny there on the sidewalk. I didn't know whether I should laugh or cry. That's how I'll do this, one penny at a time.

Life is crazy and bound to get crazier in the next couple weeks with church assignments, job interviews and homework on the way...but life is still sweet.