Are you there God? It's me, Kelly.

I'm a bit of a control freak. I'll admit it. "My name is Kelly, and I like to be in control and have things neat, organized, planned and directed." This in no way means that I don't like spontaneity; actually I do. I love a spontaneous roadtrip or other vacation, last-minute fun activities or special romantic dates, etc. All that is fun and makes me feel like I'm living in a movie (in a good way, of course). But when it comes to planning future stuff like school, career, etc, ESPECIALLY if I'm already on an education/career path, I really appreciate it when things don't go all haywire and change on me.

However, that is not the story of my life.

As has been pretty much the case each school term for the past year and a half since my return to school to complete my BS and begin working toward my Psy.D., I have had a plan; an intended class schedule for the upcoming school terms. I spend hours pour over the various institution's (APU, Citrus, PCC, Cal Poly, CVC) class schedules, taking into consideration class times, prerequisites and more. And at the beginning of each term I have a plan to complete certain classes and move on to other classes at certain institutions the following term. Everything is (was) all planned out through the end of the year when I will graduate from APU and have completed all my pre-reqs so I can apply for the PSY.D. program in Feb 08.

Much to my dismay, however, about mid-way through each term I check the latest class schedules, school websites and such only to find that the classes I'd been informed would be offered the following term are a.) no longer offered or b.) offered at a time that doesn't work for me.

Can I just say what a PAIN IN THE BUTT this is?! Then I have to scramble and figure out what, if anything, can be done. This usually results in a reorganization/revamping of THE MASTER PLAN. Now, the good thing is that up to this point, it has all worked out, though not without A LOT of scrambling and frustration and reworking and frustration and compromise and understanding/patience by my boss (thanks, Dad!)

I semi-serious/semi-joking asked a friend if God was trying to teach me something since this has literally happened EVERY SINGLE TERM. Was this just the crazy/ridiculous education system or was God speaking to me and I'm not listening? She votes that God's trying to teach me to not have MY timeline.

Sigh.

I find that really hard.