First of all: Colleen - have no fear your record is virtually next to unbreakable...
and Dallas: Great post - with a good message. Personally I find it hard to ask questions - partly because I'm a bit shy in the dojo and partly because I don't want to take sensei's time from the rest. Lately I have however begun to ask questions directly to Sensei a little more often - not while he is demonstrating the technique but afterwards and it is really great. We have a small dojo so there is time for a little personal coaching for each of us, and it is possible for him to base his answer upon his knowledge of my level instead of trying to make it 'fit-everybody'.
I guess my point is that it is okay to be 'selfish' now and then. It is more fun for sensei to engage in an explanation on a narrow subject instead of allways having to put everything into a broad perspective for everyone to gain from, and with 'personalised' coaching you can progress much faster.
I hope you passed your grading - and I'm glad to hear that it was a good experience. My 4. kyu is comming up, and right after the christening of my daughter I will get down to business and find an uke and create a program for the grading.
Have fun!