Update.

Asher talked to a few people who he respects today about his decision whether or not to move our family to Shepherd AFB. He talked to his dad, Mike Warren and Will. All of them thought that the residency was probably the best idea, but Will was by far the most helpful because he was able to give Asher inside information about the dilemma he was facing.

First of all, Will knows someone who just graduated from Shepherd and he says it is a great program there. Secondly, Asher will enjoy his times in the military much more immensely if he is trained at a residency program before going into full-time active duty. Apparently all dentists that go directly to their duty station are assigned only to large bases and are labeled, "Vanillas." Residency dentists are able to opt for small bases if they so choose because if they are left alone in the clinic they will already have to skills to fulfill their duties. Vanillas are sent to large bases where there is always someone else in charge and they are put on something called "The amalgam train." Which means that they will spend four years filling cavity after cavity. I asked if Dr. Schaffer was put on that train, but apparently Dr. Schaffer is Dr. Schaffer. I guess he was always getting in trouble for doing procedures that he was not supposed to do, but he did not care. It didn't seem to affect him in the long run.

Asher seems to be a bit excited about this opportunity now. He told me this evening that he was pretty sure that he was going to accept the assignment. The thing he was most unexcited about previously was the case presentations he was going to have to do. Will reassured him that they are not like the ones that he has been doing in school. They are much more effective in teaching him to treatment plan. So now with even that out of the way, I don't see any reason why we would not go.

I can't say that I am all that keyed about going though. What is over there? As far as I know, nothing. When Asher and I were getting our minds prepared to possibly go anywhere in the U.S., we didn't realize it, but we were both thinking somewhere outside of the Midwest. We love Oklahoma, but if we are going to have to move away from the place that we love, we want to go someplace exciting. Alaska, Virginia, Florida... Not Wichita Falls, TX. BLCK! I guess God is going to have to work on my heart a bit more. We asked God for HIS best choice, so who am I to whine about it.

It is funny, the ladies in the Bible study and I have all laughed before because none of us were very happy when we first heard the news that we were about to move to OK, but now we all love it and would prefer to stay here the rest of our lives. (Except Sarah. She loves it also, but she has a close-knit family back in Michigan.) So, who knows what will happen. I will trust in God. Even if things are hard, He will be with us.

Some surprising news.

Asher and I did not think that we would be finding out what base we would be moving to until March, but this morning Asher got a call from Randolph AFB asking if he would accept a residency at Shepherd AFB. He said yes, but he is not sure about his decision. For one, we both wanted to go somewhere a little more exciting and Asher is now not too sure that he wants to put in another year of school. He was more willing to do it until he did his externship with our friend, Dr. Bryan Schaffer, who has a practice out in Yukon. Bryan did the military/dental school plan like Asher but did not enroll in a residency program. Bryan's practice is booming, so Asher is starting to feel like it might be a waste of time and effort.

Residency Pros:
valuable experience with procedures he is not already familiar with
more supervision without the confines present in dental school

Residency Cons:
more time away from family
plan just changed, now adds another year to military service
may not add anything to future success
have to live in Texas

I suggested that Asher call our friend, Will, who has already been through the program, to see if he feels like it was worthwhile. Of course Will is not out in the real world yet and Will enjoys academics whereas Asher enjoys hands-on work. We will just have to wait and see.