The Dissertation

When are you graduating?

How is the dissertation going? 

All you need to do is write your dissertation right?

These are the questions I get upon running into people I haven't seen in a while. I don't mind the questions and am happy to answer and am grateful for people that are interested in talking to me about well.. me. However, every time one of these questions is posed.. I feel the pressure to hurry up and finish so that people don't have to ask me that anymore. (Although..I know what questions come next.. So what are you going to do with your degree? Are you going back to work? What kind of job are you looking for? All of which I have no answer to)

Here is the deal with the dissertation. I finished my course work and then joined a dissertation group to help push me along. The group was great but it didn't really help to push me along. They provided great feedback and encouragement but for some crazy reason I decided sabotage myself by piling on some extras onto my already full plate. While my group was writing away and getting proposals approved and research started. I took on an additional class to teach and decided to go on a mission trip to India. Before I knew it, it was December and I had nothing done on my dissertation. The spring semester became a bit of a downer for me. I watched my friends move forward while I reflected on my lack of work.

This is/was my dissertation group. 

These ladies have graduated. One is now working at Baylor in a one year position and the other moved back to the Netherlands where she is teaching, doing research and working with a museum. So proud of both of them. 

This is CC. In the middle of our dissertating...she moved to CA, had her first baby and is now working at a small Baptist university while trying to write and finish her dissertation. 

And then there's me... 

After the spring semester reflection, I kicked into gear and got my research approved in May. I began collecting data this summer. And that is where I'm at.. My hope is to graduate in May 2013. I don't think I have an easy road ahead but I am trying my best to not have a repeat of last year. Choices that I have made thus far to help me along are: 1) I dropped the additional class I was teaching to have more time dedicated to my dissertation. 2) I said no to a job that would have been a financial blessing to my family and would have taken me back to a wonderful work family that I left 6 years ago. 3) Although I think about my friends in India often and my heart so desires to go back and see them, I am saying no to a return trip this year. Ouch. My heart aches just typing those words. Needless to say I am going to try to get my rear out of BU just as soon as I can! Prayers are welcome. I know there will be obstacles. I have hit a few in my data collection ventures already. Will save those snafus for another day and will try my best to document for myself and for others my progress towards the completion of my dissertation. I am currently imagining the same people that ask me about the status of my dissertation saying the following phrases: 

"Good Luck!" 

"Break a Leg!" 

"We believe in you!"

"You got this!" 

"Will be praying for you!"