Yes, Hubby got into Tech. But, first let me back up and share the whole story. Last Tuesday, Hubby got an email that he did not get in, but was on the waiting list. From the email he really felt like his chances were slim to none. Hubby was extremely disappointed. I honestly felt neither joy nor disappointment. It just meant that we were staying in eastern Virginia- honestly, there are pros and cons to both staying and moving to the mountains. I was just ready to know what the decision was.
So, on Wednesday and Thursday, Hubby started to come to terms with staying and going to ODU. I started my push for getting backyard chickens (or pulling out the carpet and refinishing the hardwood floors). We planned when we would refinish the deck. Life was moving forward. We were going to be in eastern Virginia for several more years. Except one small thing occurred that I honestly think made a world of difference. Hubby emailed the head of the department at Tech asking what number he was on the list. He replied saying he'd get back to Hubby in a day or two with more info.
Now, it's Friday morning. I'm running around like the crazy maniac I turn into every time we leave town (we were spending Easter in the mountains with my family). I think about checking Hubby's email to see if he's gotten anymore info from Tech, but figure it's too early for a response....but I'm impatient so I check anyway. Not only was there a response, but it was a response of YES!
Ok, honestly, it's not a traditional yes. Hubby's undergraduate grades weren't pretty. But his GRE scores were phenomenal and his grades from ODU over the past year have been perfect (literally). The statistics department at Tech feels unsure about taking a gamble on him since they are only admitting a class of ten this year. He will take his first semester of classes through their Commonwealth Campus and once he has proved he can handle the work, all his credits and classes will transfer over. If he can't maintain a 3.0 GPA, he will be asked to leave. He can still graduate with his master's in 18 months. It's basically an administrative change. The "catch" is he is not eligible for financial aid or any funding. His first semester (maybe first year, due to limited funding) has to come out of our pocket. After the first year, if he decides to pursue his PhD, rather than just Master's, he could get funded...but only time will tell how long he wants to stay in school.
For us, this is as good as a full acceptance into the program. We already knew there was little to no chance of getting funded through the statistics department. We knew that going to Tech meant we would have to live on a teeny tiny income (both working part-time jobs?), in a teeny tiny house, and praying like hell for ends to meet.
What I didn't expect is how much all of this would FREAK ME OUT! We are about to short sale our house of 5 1/2 years because the market has fallen so much since we purchased it. We are about to cut our square footage in half. We are giving up a yard. I will probably have to work at least part time. We have no idea what will happen with our house or how this will all work out. Yet, we're doing it regardless. I don't want to leave our yard. I don't want to leave our friends. More than anything I do not want to work outside of the home. I am less than thrilled about the teeny tiny, dirty, basement apartment we will be living in (but it allows 95 lb dogs and is CHEAP). But I love my husband and I know how much he wants this. So, I will do what I need to do to support him.
I am so proud of my husband for his chance to prove himself. I am excited to take an adventure with him for once instead of taking the easy/safe route. I am overjoyed to live closer to family. I am thrilled to live in the mountains, a town that really embodies the simple, natural, local lifestyle we strive for. We will keep you all posted as our plans finalize and as we gain more information about the detail of our move!
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