Went great! Got the diploma and peaced outta provo!
Now, it wasn't completely without drama-- My inlaws were in town and had a pretty blunt convo with me about everything. They expressed how disappointed and angry they were with me and my MIL asked that I love my DW "enough to let her go".
Had a similar chat with with my folks too. In both situations I felt I was able to gain insight into their views and also felt positively that they now better understand me. Since then we haven't spoken at all about it and believe it or not, our relationship seems peachy (with inlaws and my folks).
I took a grad trip to Oregon with my two brothers-- we had a blast, did some salmon fishing, visited the coast and ate great food. BEAUTIFUL place.
Now I'm in Corona, CA with DW working until med school starts on August 3rd. As far as she and I are concerned, we've reached a mutual decision to try things out between now and the start of school in August with both of us being true to our beliefs yet supportive of the other. If by August we feel good and happy and satisfied, then we'll keep going. If between now and then it appears that the lost trust and hard feelings from my change are still not mended, we have agreed it would be better to separate.
Honestly, I don't see it going that way (towards divorce), nor do I want it to. But we have found a strange sort of peace knowing that we can either love each other and work this out, or love each other and leave knowing we tried with a little better understanding of each other.
Well it seems like you didn't take my advice to tell the BYU administrators everything so you could get kicked out and dedicate all your time/energy to being the best toilet scrubber in Church history. Oh how marvelous the blessings that would come your way from living a life of wondrous trials/tribulations and humble poverty instead of going down the path you have chosen. As you finish your residency in 6+ years you can expect to be harassed unceasingly day/night by physician recruiters trying to force you into 300K/year of wallet burdens at some hospitals/clinics for the rest of your career. Do as I suggest and I promise you that your wallet will be much lighter :)
Now about your in-laws and any TBM's. One of the best clues that its a True Church is when you see how hard they try to thoroughly understand/comprehend everything possible about your concerns and then do everything they can in haste to officially get you full/complete answers to your questions and do it in a way that is not the least bit condescending but full of complete honesty and forthrightness. It would certainly do plenty of damage to the Church's reputation of being true (i.e. honest/transparent) if they ever failed in any way to do this and then people would think they were some sort of fraud or cult.
You're just up the road (30 miles or so) from me. If you feel like you'd like to meet up for a cup of coffee (grin) and a chat sometime, let me know. We could meet halfway, say...at Lake Elsinore Casino? :)
Glad you got the paper and are moving ever onward. That comment from your MIL, though..."love her enough to let her go," just kills me. Church over family. Ugh.
I would love to meet up sometime. I don't know what your schedule is like but my work schedule is 2-9 weekdays, 9-5 saturday. I actually work occasionally in lake elsinore so a late morning coffee would be superb, or lunch. What's your schedule like?
Your wife sounds like she loves you deeply. Enough, if fact, to stand up to her parents and the cult. I hope things go very well for the two of you this Summer.
Have you encouraged your wife to apply to law school(s) anywhere...her reluctance may be small indicator...be true to the agreement Buff...May the in laws stay as far away as possible...that is my phood blessing over this whole drama...
Yes in deed mr gatorman. She is taking the LSAT in September then applying before the year's end. She's pretty amped about it honestly. Me too. If worst comes to worst and we do split, I would love to know she's on to a great education nonetheless.