Go Yellow Jackets!

Tori has always been a ‘good kid’. But when she came home with a report card in middle school that had A’s and B’s on it, Chris and I were not impressed. We insisted that we knew she could do better, in fact we were certain she could make straight As.

Our lack of enthusiasm over her lukewarm report card sent her to her room, crying. But it also gave her a firm resolve to DO better. We told her that if she did struggle with a subject that we could help her or get help for her. But that we wouldn’t accept a B unless we knew she was having trouble with a subject.

Since then we have had numerous meetings-of-the-minds over her grades but we have always seen her strive to take the most challenging courses and work her hardest to make good grades.

Well, all that hard work has paid off, she received an envelope from the college of her choice on Wednesday saying she was ACCEPTED!

It has been a long few months getting applications filled out, applying for scholarships (hard for me, but MUCH harder for her!) and it is so wonderful to be able to breathe a collective sigh of relief!

Tori started out knowing she wanted to go to college in either Georgia or Texas. Then she narrowed it down to some good public institutions and a few private schools she really liked.

Soon, off went applications to University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Baylor and SMU. Baylor and Georgia Tech were at the top of her list, but each had it’s caveat.

Baylor is *pricey* and we needed to be sure we could afford a full four years there plus the medical school Tori would like to attend after college.

Georgia Tech is an amazing deal since we are in state and qualify for the Hope Scholarship (free tuition for in-state students who maintain a certain GPA) but because of the popularity of the Georgia state schools, admissions have become very competitive.

We heard fairly soon that Tori was accepted to UGA, Baylor and SMU. But Georgia Tech kept us waiting.

Finally, on Wednesday, we received a letter. On the outside of the envelope it said that Tori had been accepted so I ran to WalMart and picked up a bunch of yellow and black balloons (Go Yellow Jackets!) and a few dozen roses (they were out of yellow) and planned a surprise for her when she came home.

And boy was she surprised!

Zach and I were staked out waiting to capture her reaction on film. She is so thrilled that she gets to go to the college of her choice. Her best girlfriends will be going to Tech, too.

It is such an answer to prayer for all of us, thank You BIG GUY!!