Interview day

This past Friday, Mom and I saddled up and rode to San Francisco for my official UCSF School of Pharmacy interview. After sleeping-in that morning (oh, what a luxury!), I awakened to find that my sweet husband had made me breakfast and a snack for the rigorous day ahead of me. He topped it all off with a little inspirational love note for the day. I tucked that sweet note safely into my purse, donned my new pin-stripe suit and red Mary Jane heels (ya gotta be different!), and headed for Davis to meet up with my mom. Mom and I met up at Melissa's house and then drove together to the city. The gruesome threesome would have been but Missy had work...and the cows wait for no one. Instead, she played photographer and caught some great pictures of mom and me shortly before our departure (boy, I look professional...a professional what?).

We had a great drive to the city and made our way over the Bay Bridge in some of the thickest fog the city has seen in a while. As we drove over the bridge, Mom gasped as she caught the first glimpses of the city...Coit Tower, the Transamerica Building, etc. She just loves San Francisco and always tells me how much Pa (her dad) loved the city. Pa loved the city because nowhere else in the world could you walk down the street, ask ten people for directions, and get those directions in ten different languages. Pretty cool! Along with the excitement of going to school and the coolness inherent to living in such a city, I am also really excited about being a base camp for friends and family visiting San Francisco!

Once we got to the campus, we procured a cherry parking spot that overlooked Golden Gate Park and the bridge, and mom spent most of her time here (quilting and reading) as I navigated my interview day's activities.

Mom and I were graced with a real surprise in the form of a visit from my old roommate and dear, dear friend, Kaman. Kaman is in her third year of pharmacy school at UCSF and will soon be moving to Fresno to complete her clinical training. Boy, I'm gonna miss her!

She sure turned a stressful day into a joyous one! She met up with us shortly after our arrival and presented us with a beautiful, little care package. She had baked a myriad of delectable treats (she's so creative in the kitchen!) including buckwheat cookies and peanut brittle spiced with Indian seeds and spices. She also gave me one of her pharmacy class' t-shirts and the most beautiful necklace made of amber. (She knows that I really love amber!)

As if that weren't enough, Kaman took Mom and I to lunch at a great Indian place on Irving, walked me over to my interview, sequestered me away in a quite classroom away from the hub-bub of the registering interviewees as I awaited my interview time, and then met up with me after the day was over and handed me a cold lemonade! Kaman is a truly awesome friend, and I'm blessed to have her in my life! (I'm going to have to write a blog one day entirely about Kaman...she's been a very big and continuous part of my life...one of the most beautiful, thoughtful people I've ever met...definitely the kindest soul!)

All in all, it was a very good day! I was surrounded by some of the most wonderful and supportive women I know, I gave a good interview that was representative of the person I am and the skills I have to offer, and I really enjoyed myself! Now, we wait. They are interviewing a total of 370 people and expect to send invitations to 122 people. Letters could come as early as the end of this month and as late as April 1. If I don't get in this year, I may try again, but I will definitely take this as an opportunity/sign to explore other avenues..."we are never done when we think we are" (thank you, Alice Walker!).

Until then, please keep your fingers crossed for us as the next chapter of our lives unfolds.

Thank you to everyone who e-mailed me well-wishes, who offered up silent prayers, and who have been examples and support throughout the years leading up to this day!

I am so very grateful...