38 days and counting...

Okay...for those of you out there who have have husbands in school...we're in the final countdown! Matt's goal for having his dissertation turned in is March 18 (also my sister's birthday :). So, please, please, please pray that he can make it. He has been working around the clock (literally) to get this done before the girls get here. I am just so thankful for my husband and all his hard work and dedication. I can't believe everything that it has taken for him to get this far, and now...we're almost there! I won't know what it's like to have a husband who doesn't have to write in the evenings, or to have a Saturday that we can spend together as a family! I'm getting misty-eyed at the thought :). But, I'm so thankful that we've done it this way. Yes, it's been a really hard few months, but Matt's prospectus was approved in November, and now, a little over 4 months later - he's about to have a completed dissertation! That's INCREDIBLE! We decided that instead of stretching this out for years, I'd take on the bulk of raising Josh for a few months and just get it done. And Matt's been such a trooper. I can't say enough how thankful I am to have such a diligent, hard-working husband. He's juggled two jobs and almost completed writing a dissertation in 4 months! I'm in awe. And God is so good - there's no way he should have physically had the stamina to do this. So, here's a few prayer requests for the home stretch...

1. Physical stamina for Matt
2. That I will be gracious, encouraging, and not demanding at all during this crazy time
3. That all the people involved in reading his dissertation will have the time to get it back with the revisions and grades really quickly so that he can meet his goal

So, here's the goal schedule - pray that we can meet each one...

Feb. 9 – Chapter 2 - revision (this one should be ready for submittal tomorrow night - there were a few more resources left to get from the library)

Feb. 16 – Ch. 3 - revision

Feb. 23 – Ch. 4 - revision (and then, turn these four chapters into his mentor who please pray will have the time to read it that week and return it in the midst of his own busy semester)

Mar. 8 – Ch. 5 - this one is the conclusion chapter and has yet to be written – so pray he will be able to get this one done quickly

Mar. 15 – Ch. 5 returned from Dr. Liederbach for Matt to do corrections - again, pray for Dr. Liederbach's time that this will fit with his schedule

Mar. 18 – all final revisions made and dissertation submitted to be approved and sent out

Love you all!! Keep us in your prayers!