I want to shout it from the rooftops!!!

I want to shout it from the roof tops!

And yesterday felt like a holiday...

Phil's dissertation has been turned in!!!!!!

There are not enough exclamation marks for the above statement.  Seriously.

For those who are not familiar, Phil has been studying to get his doctorate in Environmental and Molecular Toxicology.  That's actually how we met, in graduate school.

Getting a doctorate degree is no small task.  You have to do a research project that makes a significant contribution to your field.  Then you have to write that bad boy up and defend him to a group of committee members and the public to determine if you know you stuff and should be considered a doctor.

Phil's been busting his butt to finish writing his dissertation, which had to be turned in before his defense.  Henry and I have barely seen the guy for the last couple of weeks.  I'm pretty sure Henry and Phil have only spent like 10 minutes together the last week or so.

But after staying up literally ALL NIGHT Wednesday night, IT'S DONE!!!

Next up... his defense in a couple of weeks.

For his defense, Phil will have to give a 45 minute presentation on his work.  Then the visiting public can ask questions about his research and findings.  After about 15 minutes of that, the public is kicked out and the committee can ask Phil him questions about his research and ANY class he has EVER taken.  That should last another hour or so.  And after that, he'll find out if his passed or not.

I'm no Toxicologist, but I can say this... Phil has put in the work.  He knows his $h!t.  He's ready.

There have been so many challenges and setbacks for Phil along his graduate school path.  Changing project scope.  Marriage.  Dad diagnosed with cancer.  Infertility.  Waiting for data.  Wife diagnosed with cancer.  New baby.  Waiting for data.  Dad dying.  Waiting for data.

To name a few.

I have to admit that after the defense got postponed the last time, I was having a hard time believing that the defense would happen in December.  The goal was to get his dissertation turned in before Thanksgiving, but that didn't happen.  Then the goal was Tuesday.  Then Wednesday.

I likened the delay to being pregnant and watching your due date pass.  And each and every day you go past your due date gets harder.  And harder.  And you feel like you will always be pregnant.  You will never have the baby.  And it will never end.

It's irrational.  Pregnancy always has an end.  And grad school had to as well.

But it is in!  The defense is scheduled!

We have a couple hard weeks ahead of us still as Phil prepares for his defense.  But the biggest part has been accomplished.

Henry and I took Phil out to a nice dinner last night to celebrate.

{Everyone's drinks.  Martini for Mama.  Apple juice for Hank.  Beer for Daddy}

Because Phil has basically been working 20 hours a day for the last couple of weeks, Henry and I really haven't seen him much.  It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Henry has seen him for maybe 5 minutes a day for the last week.  And Henry made it known last night that he was NOT happy about it.  He wouldn't look at Phil, didn't want Phil to hold him, wouldn't respond to Phil when he talked to him.  He's a punisher.

The good news is that he seemed to be over that this morning.  He was looking up at Phil with an expression that said, "YAY MY DADDY IS HERE!"  It was pretty much the cutest thing ever.

Now excuse me while I go take multiple deep breaths because it feels like a HUGE weight has been lifted from our family's shoulders.  You'll find me partially floating on cloud 9.