Final Masters

   So getting a Masters was the easiest and hardest thing that I have ever done! I got a 4.0 GPA with all of my classes but when it came to doing my project and writing the reflection paper it was so very hard. As I stated before the only thing that kept me going was Dave's wouldn't let me go to Disney World and I didn't want McCovey to have an example of a quitter! So I pushed forward! The scariest thing is that I turned my paper I had two weeks to study and build my presentation. In those two weeks, I had Indian Creek and the Nielsen family reunion. Once I got home from them I had one day to practice with my professor and then at 9:00 that next morning I defended.
   I study through my reunions and tried my best to know all of the words and phrases I would have to in order to defend my project. My confidence was shot because of the frustration with writing my paper and I seriously was convinced I was going to fail. I didn't want to set myself but I thought my professor thought my project was crap and he had me so turned around that I am didn't know what he wanted any more. So when I walked into that practice I was seriously seconds away from crying. So as soon as I messed up I started crying and then I struggled to stop. I said "I am sorry but I am extremely nervous. I don't want to fail and say the wrong thing." He looked at me and said the closest thing to a compliment I ever got "Melissa I wouldn't let you defend if you didn't think that you would pass." That was the first time I thought he thought I could pass. He decided that I shouldn't go through all my presentation and then have them ask me questions, I would sit down as we go through they would ask me questions as we go. It felt like that would be a good decision.
   As soon as we were done, I went to the temple. I have never needed my head to be blessed more than I did then. First I waited like 30 minutes for one of my names to get baptized. Which was most definitely what I needed. I calmed down a lot although I was not fully feeling better yet.  I went did initiatory and pretty much cried through the whole time thinking that these were family names and although they needed me to do this work and tomorrow when I need them to support me the next day I knew that I could walk into my defense and know I would be ok. I also had Dave give me a blessing. It was so good to
   So I made Dave drive me and he had to wait outside. Yes, I made him wait for me it took 2 hours but since he is such a good husband he did it without a complaint. I just told him I need to know that he was super close. So at nine I got there early and felt calm. One of the people on my committee was 30 minutes late because she works on the Idaho Falls compass and went to the wrong building. My professors kept checking on me but I was fine.
   I can't say that I smashed my presentation but I did keep it together I didn't cry I kept it together and only messed my words up a little bit. I finished and they deliberated and then my professor shook my hand and said you passed.
   I got down and called Dave and he picked me up and I said that I passed! It was really weird because I was sure that the shoe would drop. That is how it was with my professor since I had started planning the project and writing the paper. I did tell people that I passed but I really didn't believe it till it was on my transcript!