Yes, you heard that right, we are moving to Denver, Colorado!
Last year Nephi and I found out that we didn't get accepted into a Physicians Assistant programs that we applied to. While this was devastating, I had a really bad inkling that this was going to be the case. Not that Nephi wouldn't make an excellent PA, but that competition is insane and he had a few bad grades in some science classes that on paper made his grades look rough. His resume and job experience is incredible, but the GPA wasn't going for him and this was nerve-wracking.
We were down to plan C at this point which was apply to a different grad school. We talked about him getting his Masters in Health Administration but wanted to explore all options. Through his research he brought up Occupational Therapy. He had brought this up in the past as an option but we had our heart set on PA school for so long we [me] were pretty narrow-minded. But Nephi explained the job and future opportunities and we decided that we would set out to do more research, including shadowing an OT.
Over those next few months Nephi worked as a PSR worker with children who needed a little more help and supervision for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, he would take kids to an Occupational Therapist (OT). This opened my eyes because I was noticing Nephi was doing so well and enjoying that job as a PSR worker and then I made the connection that this is similar to what he would do as an OT.
We began filling out applications and even got them in later than we had planned - long story - but we got them in and then started praying like crazy. {{PS - I should be like 30lbs thinner from all the fasting we did to get Nephi into school over the past 2 years. Thanks to the family members that joined us in those fasts so many times, hope you are thinner for it (kidding...)}} It's a huge leap of faith to put money in application fees, put your heart on your sleeve, and then just sit and wait. Through this process I learned a lot about myself and we learned about us as a family. Although trying - we are grateful for it!
We applied for 4 schools. When we went to submit the application for Creighton (which I pushed selfishly so I could live where I served my mission for a few years in Omaha) he quickly got a response from admissions saying that they were opening up a new pathway program for their OT program in Denver and since it was closer to where we live if we were interested. We took them up and filled out the application that had supplemental questions on it and submitted it within 24 hours. The questions were perfect for what Nephi and I wanted to say to someone reviewing his application - it was almost too good to be true. I was giddy throughout the application process and had a very strong sense of hope but I tried to keep it reserved to not put extra pressure on Nephi.
In February, I got a text from Nephi saying he got an interview - WHAT!? We were thinking we would be hearing back soon but I never expected it out of thin air! So he went and interviewed and it went really well. We decided not to tell family (we had to tell my brother because he ended up driving to Denver with Nephi) because Nephi didn't want any added pressure so we did our best to keep it a secret.
A week or so after his interview Nephi got a letter from Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona stating that he was placed on the waiting list there. This was another major miracle for us! We couldn't believe it! We wrote a letter of intent to show major interested and tried to talk to a few people in admissions to push his application. They were very stingy and couldn't give us any details except that we would hear back mid-May with an answer at the latest. So we waited, and waited...nothing.
About 4 weeks after Nephi's interview, he received a call from admissions offering him a spot in the OT program at Creighton in Denver! Nephi again informed me by text and I was not in a position to celebrate so I had to keep it in, but then when we got home we were ecstatic and so grateful! We still have yet to hear from Arizona to this day but we had to make a decision by the deadline for Creighton so put down the deposit.
Although I am sad we didn't get into Arizona because we could be by my family, I had a feeling it would be Denver all along and that's okay. A lot of much needed peace has surrounded me since that day we found out that has buoyed me up on very hard days. Having that to look forward to has been a blessing. Seeing Nephi's confidence build in himself as a husband and father has been worth every hurdle we have faced along the way. To say he deserves this is an understatement. He is MEANT to be an OT! He is going to help people regain their life back in several ways and there is not better person than Nephi to do that. Marlo and I are proud to stand by his side! We adore him.
Thank you to family and friends that prayed, fasted, followed-up, and listened to me vent and cry numerous times over the past few years. We couldn't have done it without you!
Next step: MOVE! We need a place to live (any Coloradans out there that can help us out?), need to pack up our place and move by the end of July with school starting first week of August (praying we sell everything at a garage sale we are participating in this month), and we need to say goodbye to family and friends which will be the hardest.
