a milestone

Austin and I will be the first from our cohort to defend our dissertation proposals. After spending the morning wrestling with bibliographical style and print drivers, we are both thankful to have deposited copies of our proposal in each of the faculty mailboxes. Exactly one week from now, we'll be seated before all the PhD faculty and students, while they grill us with questions.

As one of our colleagues reminded us at lunch, "No one has ever failed a propoal defense before. So if you do, you'll be the first!" I think that was supposed to be encouraging, so that's how I'm going to take it. If you think of us, pray for clear thinking for all involved. Better to get helpful, critical feedback now then at the end of our project!

Austin and I are both writing about the name of God (Yahweh), so our projects overlap some, and we're both studying with Dr. Block. It's been fun to collaborate so far . . . and this is just the beginning. The hardest and best parts are still to come!