Anna has big big news!

Oh my goodness! We've been holding on to something for so much time now. Anna wanted to announce her next steps after graduation at her college graduation party. And she did. (that post back here) 

It was a lovely time to share with family and close friends where she was going. 

But there is oh so much more to that story than just where she is headed... so much more! 

She started thinking about moving on to graduate school around sophomore year. And when she started discerning what to do/where to go she knew after working with the children at Extended School Year. (those posts back here and here). 

After those summers and really so much more discerning, praying, and figuring things out she knew she wanted to be a school psychologist. And that meant grad school. 

Her entire fall of her senior year she was at Holy Cross of course. She had a full course load, played in the college orchestra, had concerts, and even got involved in the school musical. All the while she was beginning to get applications to a variety of grad schools. It was a lot, I tell you. There were so many phone calls back and forth to help her with big life decisions/choices/emotions. 

And then it came time to apply. And she did. All of those essays, the letters of recommendations and the interviews that we had no idea were such a big deal! Some of the colleges were more simple ones on zoom. And the one college that she was really interested in was a full day, in person interview. 

Weeks before the interview she prepared. She wrote out questions. She wrote out her answers. We helped her and talked though each answer with her. She rehearsed. And we talked every single night. She was in her dorm room and most of the time we were in our kitchen tackling tough interview questions. 

It was Lent at this time and she went into her college chapel every single day and prayed. Every single day! 

And then the big interview day came. She came home from Holy Cross and went to that college. She was there from 8:30-3:00! Wow! She came home from that interview and said, "THAT is where I want to be!" 

And she did it! She was supposed to find out in a week or two but the very next day this big smile came across my facetime just at the end of my school day. Look at this smile. 

She got in and she is going to Fairfield University this fall for a Masters and Sixth year degree! It's a 3 year program. 

The next time she was home (I think it might have been Easter, so much has happened since then) she asked to go to the church after I got home from school one day to pray and thank God . 

There really is so much more of this story I could tell. 

Like how her heart was moved. 

Like how she worked for hours and hours and hours upon hours to study for that interview. 

Like how she prayed and discerned and followed the Holy Spirit. 

From the beginning of Lent to Easter I got to help a little but really just watch this miracle unfold. And it was a beautiful thing. 

When Anna came home after spring break we decorated her door in the Fairfield colors so bright and happy! We also filled a basket of goodies all Fairfield! So fun! 

We are oh so proud of you Anna for following your dreams and working hard to make them come true!