Thoughts of Thanksgiving

 

Hello everyone! Happy Thanksgiving week! 

I hope you find yourself with many things to be grateful for, no matter how big or small, if it stirs up gratitude in your heart it's significant!

Holidays always remind me to take a step back and 

reflect on life, so I thought I would share the above picture with you. A few months ago I was with some friends sharing brunch on a Saturday morning (who doesn't love brunch on the weekend?!) and as we visited with each other we flipped through magazines and cut things out that caught our attention. What came about were remarkable, quirky creations on poster board! We just talked, ate, sipped coffee, laughed, cut and pasted .... most of us didn't have a plan for our clippings but it was neat to see what evolved. Mine (as it fits my personality) turned out to be a reflection about this year. 

Let me briefly explain... 

 In January I feel like Jason and I were given a 

"random" treasure map winding, bending and steering us through this year. Like a good, classic treasure map things have popped in our path, out of no where, surprising us! They have been both good and scary surprises leaving us wondering, "what's next"? Sometimes it's been a comical or exasperated sigh while other times it's been a confident battle cry, "Bring it on 2015"! A few times I feel like we flipped the map sideways and then before I realize what happened, I show up in blue jeans to a cocktail reception honoring scholar students (of whom my husband is one) eating hors d'oeuvres with head faculty, program supporters and the president of the organization himself! Yes, this really happened and I felt just as ridiculous as the nut cracker above! In those kind of situations I recommend ignoring your unsuitable outfit, turning on the charm, holding your head just high enough so people look you in the eye rather than at what you are wearing. And then for the next event pick out 2 outfits and always dress up if you are unsure (hence the penguin above)!

In a nut shell, 2015 has been a wild adventure, 

it hasn't been tame. But it's these adventures that have shaped us by allowing, sometimes forcing, us to grow and change. If we can appreciate the opportunity to stop and meditate on what it is that we've learned and apply the lesson, than each adventure will move us closer towards becoming "champions of growth"! To me this means you simply (hopefully) become good at accepting change and growing with it.

No matter who you are, where you have been,  

 where you are going and who you bring with you, I believe at different times in our life we need something that helps us to take a step back from the path to observe God's story that he's writing as He creates our map. For me, I need something like this poster which loudly grabs my attention to remind me that life isn't out of control and that my life with Jason and his pursuit of medicine is important, not just to us and society but also to God. That it's hard but, as God is the author of our map guiding us though, we will find the prize at the end! I may make a separate poster that reminds me what it is that I love about Jason. And that I need to respect that he is valued and being led by God so that when his pursuit of medicine consumes his time and energy I have something to look to that keeps me from wondering down the path of lonely self pity believing lies about him or our relationship that simply aren't true. Don't let yourself go down that path of believing lies, its a dangerous way! It's important to have something close by that will scoop you out of those spiraling thoughts!

But don't just reflect on your map or just your story. 

Ask others about theirs and share yours! Adventurous and non-adventurous moments in life are meant to be shared for the purpose of encouraging others to press on, to not give up, to laugh at the ridiculous puddles (or ponds) of mud you splash though and to remember, you aren't the only one with a wonky and wild treasure map called "LIFE"! 

Here's to you friend and your adventures this past year! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Tribute to My Grandfather

From my view as a child: 

He was tall, 6' 2" to be exact, trustworthy, fun and you better pay attention when he was giving instructions! 

An unexpected "BEEP-BEEP" from behind would send my heart leaping out of my chest like the coyote's when confronted by the Roadrunner wondering, how does he sneak up so quickly!

No problem was too small, no time was considered wasted even if he had to repair the ropes on the swings over and over again.

The joy in his inventions to solve my troubled heart over a broken toy, or to cure boredom by tying string to old tin cans for stilts or if that wasn't the right prescription, there was always a chore to be given. 

A joyous laugh, a deep stern voice, a spontaneous song all to be heard at any corner of the house. 

*  *  *

From my view as an adult: 

He was tall, 6' 2" even at age 90, trustworthy, never a dull moment and you still better pay attention when he was giving instructions! 

"Hello" from the moment I puled into the driveway and the last one waving good-bye reminding me to wear my seat belt, adjust my mirrors and drive safely.

The stories of hosting camp grounds off the Blue Ridge Parkway with my grandmother at his side hauling their "Little House on the Pavement", to tales of war and his father whom he highly respected.

A born leader trusted by many; A man of his word.

The calls from his friends and neighbors and the jingling of keys as he headed out to meet their needs; a tender heart, a confident mind, a man who would stand by your side.

To a daughter and son he was a consistent father, to his country a veteran, pride in the red, white and blue!

His repetitive words of love and admiration daily directed toward his wife of 66+ years whom he knew to the end, despite the sickness of dementia that would close his eyes one last time.

A joyous laugh, a soft kind word, a look of pleasant surprise when he hears that I'm his granddaughter for the seventh time in a day.

A sinner, a believer, a man now made whole, united with his Savior!

The memories of you Pop-pop will sweeten our loss until we see you again!

 

We all leave behind some kind of memory and legacy. My grandfather, or Pop-Pop as he was known among me, my siblings and cousins, was a loved and important man to many he left behind!

First Year Tidbits

The first year was a good year! Jason passed all his classes, we maneuvered through somewhat of a routine, we met some new friends, Jason made connections with some family medicine doctors and we were able to save some money while comfortably living together with friends. I could write a separate post about each of these and maybe I will later. But for this one, I want to share one of my greatest concerns about being a med school spouse and the tidbits I learned when confronted with these concerns.

One of the bummers you hear about med school is that exams or other important requirements collide with regular life. This is true and was/is the part that I was/am dreading. With the exception of major holidays, most exams or important deadlines this last year conflicted with birthdays, concerts, church events, and of course sports games (thankfully for Jason there's internet highlights and our housemates TV on demand). What I had to realize is that these were small moments of disappointment and even though I hated that he/we had to miss them, I had to just get over it.  But more than this, you will discover that sometimes your spouse needs you to free them from having to choose books over life. As many times as it's appropriate, take the initiative to tell them you understand and are okay with why they can't attend something with you or that the both of you need to miss out. Believe me, Jason didn't want to miss out so why make him doubly disappointed? Disappointed that he had to miss out but also disappointed that he disappointed me because we were unable to go together or at all. Most of the small life events we/he missed are events that will come again next year and the next. There might be big moments when your spouse will have to put the books down and sacrifice their education in order to be there for you, so give them the freedom to miss these small moments.

Another tidbit I want to share with you that I observed this last year and will take with me into the next is that, when it comes to going places together you might have to decide what's more important to you. Is it that you arrive on time or that you arrive together? You can't always have both which means you either kiss them and say, "see you there" or exercise patience to wait until the computer can be closed. Make a decision in advanced and be sure to communicate the plan to each other. Communicating the plan to each other is our hardest part but that's just something in general we are working on.

As the end of the school year was within reach, dealing with the collision of life and classes came to a head for us. It was April and May during Jason's final exams, I was apartment hunting/preparing to move to our own place when I became very ill and then my grandfather, who was an important man in my life, passed away. By the time the end of May came I was a whirlwind of emotions! I was excited that Jason was completing his first year, overwhelmed with apartment hunting, I felt a deep sadness getting through my grandfather's funeral, gratefulness that I was just starting to feel better physically and frustration that Jason and I were temporarily living 2 separate lives.... side note: he did put the books down to view apartments and attend my grandfather's funeral, these were some of those important moments that he wasn't going to miss.

In light of these events, not having Jason around was just as difficult as I imagined. But I got over it faster than I expected. Even though we didn't really connect during the day, I at least had him at night to hold onto. Night time isn't usually a good time for us to talk so I just soaked in his presence. Knowing that the end of the year was within reach and the man I fell in love with would returned over the summer once the pressure of the year lifted, is part of what got me through those last few months. It wasn't until 2 weeks after the last day of class that we had a real chance to reconnect and those lonely months quickly faded from memory. Summer break came just in time!

There's one last, but certainly not least thing I must mention. Seeking a relationship with the Lord is what made the biggest difference in calming my longings for comfort. I had friends and of course my family close by but when you know and acknowledge the presence of a God who sympathizes with your weaknesses and hears your heart's desires, it leads you to express to Him that you hurt.  Then, you have a strong desire to trust Him with your longings.  Once you ask God to satisfy your longings and trust that he's able to make a difference there's a peace that comes over you that doesn't make since. Our life circumstances didn't change, they still came like unexpected swells in the ocean, but there was a peace that rested my heart which produced courage to face the day. Some might say I had no reason to feel this way, but that's the mystery of God! You just do and this strengthens you to get through the day. Not day"s" because it's a daily activity of seeking God through the Bible and prayer. Between the waves that loom over you are the times to seek him because the waves will come, but He can be the sandbar that keeps your head above water.

Now, here we are, three weeks into the second year! We are settled in and made a home in our own place again and I really did see Jason's fun and carefree personality return over the summer. He seems refreshed and there's a since of confidence that comes with advancing from MS1 into the second year. You kinda of know what to expect and I feel like for us it's the beginning of a new era. This excites me! Last year was a great experience and I feel that this next year is going to exceed beyond last year! To put it in universal terms (excluding the new tech-y generation!), it's like when cassette tapes turned into CDs and when dial up became wireless internet. What we had was awesome but what came later was much better!

Our Weekday Niche During the 1st Year

I would like to think I'm a better blogger then letting months lapse between writings, but alas, here I am several months since my last post ... I'm afraid to say that this may not be the last long lapse, my only hope is that you will stick with me! I've thought more than once, "I just don't have anything interesting to write about, it's just normal life." That's when I knew we had found our niche within this first year of classes .... just in time for it all to change!

So what have we been doing these uninteresting days? Some friends encouraged me to write about what we have been up to in the in-between moments, those parts of life that don't usually get told when someone asks what's new or what did we do this week. It's not like we haven't been doing things, the Lord knows we are busy by the way I have come crawling on my knees desperate for Him to refresh my soul and spirit to face the demands of life! To the best I can remember, here's a peek into our Monday - Thursdays as we know it now (the weekends are always different, almost never the same!). 

6:00 AM 

The alarm called "silk" on my iPhone 4S chimes and I roll over just long enough to swipe the screen to snooze. Ten minutes later Jason's alarm, a pleasant song he get's with the iPone 5, chimes and he rolls over just long enough to swipe the screen to snooze. We both do this dance about 3 times before either one of us actually get's out of bed. I'm usually the first one up but only by about 15 minutes (one last round of Jason's snooze!). I grab the hangers with my preselected outfit from the night before and proceed to do something with my hair that looks professional while still half asleep. Jewelry? Only if it's also preselected the night before. I try to give Jason a peck on the check before I head out as he stumbles his way towards his toothbrush (some race to the john in the mornings, Jason races for his toothbrush). It's about 6:40 am when I head down stairs, hit the brew button on the coffee maker that Jason preps the night before, grab my lunch (or what ever is in the fridge) and start the 25 minute commute to the law firm through country roads with the sun rising on my left.


7:20 AM
My day at the law firm begins with making coffee for the office and then I eat some breakfast at my desk while I open my email to work on drafting court documents, checking my voice mail for client's questions and concerns (usually the later). As the day progresses there's many phone calls, faxes, emails, letters and a few meetings to discuss cases. I eat lunch at my desk (sometimes the highlight of my day!) and occasionally I may take a quick walk around the large grassy island in the parking lot so as not to fall asleep on my keyboard. My desk proceeds to get covered in papers as the afternoon goes by ... I believe the legal world kills saplings on a daily basis! At about 1pm I start scrambling to wrap up loose ends because by this time 3:30 pm comes quickly! 

Lately I've put in some long days but knowing that Jason is either on campus studying or deep in notes and modules at home makes it easier to stay and get things done.



3:30 PM

On days I don't stay late or am tied up on a phone call or mending an emergency situation our clients find themselves in (the definition of an emergency is debatable!), I like to sneak to rush through the 
darkened stairwell to escape out the back door into the blinding afternoon sun! Once I drive away I try to take care of any errands and knock them out before racing ahead of the 5 pm traffic. On Tuesdays after work I head south to visit my parents and grandparents for the rest of the day and on Thursdays I stay in town near my work to grocery shop at my #1 and #2 stores (Costco & Trader Joe's) and maybe get an adjustment at my chiropractor's office. By the time I finish it's usually past dinner time so I grab a ready made sushi roll at Trader Joe's and enjoy it to the last bite! Most Thursdays I get together with a group of friends from my church to catch up on life, talk about the sermon from Sunday and find out if anyone could use a hand with something or an encouraging word after a hard day, a prayer for things on our minds or simply to share stories about our week. I enjoy hearing what others have been doing because I need the chance to stop thinking about my own schedule and to-do list. Sometimes it helps me put my own selfish concerns into perspective when I realize how good I have it! Making friends and getting to the place of being comfortable and close with people is tough and takes a lot of time and effort but in the end, when you find those people, it's worth it!        
         
My Grandfather has been struggling with Dementia and has declined fast over the last 2+ years. Despite the fact that he doesn't really remember that I am his Granddaughter, when we tell him he seems delighted every time and with a beaming face says, "You don't say?!" In this photo below I brought him a book on classic cars and he looked through all 295 pages. I've brought it several times and each time it's new to him. 

My Grandmother and I have recently been re-organizing her library. She is a lover of books and has read every single one she owns and has such a generous heart that she's constantly giving them away or at least buying a second copy to give away. I have enjoyed every life story that is tied to her books!

 

                                                                 

6:00 PM
Tuesdays and Thursdays I pretty much do my own thing. Some of the best advice I received about being the spouse of a med student is, don't wait on your med school spouse to live your life. If you want to volunteer, do it! If you want to go to a concert, a movie, spend time at the lake or dinner with friends, do it!  If your spouse can join you it will be an extra treat but don't wait for them or you might never do anything except blame them for your missed opportunities. Jason has been so supportive of this, he tells me often I should go without him even when I know he is sad to miss out. He also has a few things he does without me, he attends a Bible study with guys from his class and Friday evenings he helps run a mobile clinic in a refugee community. 

The nights we are home together we often find ourselves working silently in the same room. Jason with his never ending load of med school things, me emailing, managing our schedule for church responsibilities, family functions (with my large family it's usually a function) and other random commitments or med school events that Jason forwards to me. Sometimes we talk briefly about our budget but it's not a long conversation because Neobudget shows you exactly what was spent and what is left and more. Jason manages most of it which I am so grateful for! 
Between studying, he watches sports, I "waist" time on Pinterest pinning recipes, researching how to organize small spaces, build DIY wood things, reading about life hacks and day dreaming about how to fix up our next home! I've thought about exercising or reading a book in the evenings but both sound unappealing after a long day. This energy usually goes into meal planning (go figure!). There's also never ending cleaning, folding laundry, and putting together lunches for us for the next day, you know, normal life stuff! ..... side thought: preparing food takes up a lot of my evenings, way too much time in my opinion but our budget demands it and the love of flavorful, fresh food motivates me to keep cooking. It's just a part of life we cannot ignore! I read this book and it gave me a different perspective about why God might have created us to need 3 meals a day "A Meal with Jesus: Discovering Grace, Community, Mission around the Table". 

Before I head to bed, if I'm lucky, Jason can take a break and we watch a show together. This is something we used to do a lot pre-med school days and I miss it so when he has time it's always a treat! Again, there are a few shows I started watching without him because if I wait for him I won't really get to watch the show as regularly as I'd like. One of them is Scrubs (check it out on Netflix), I didn't watched it when it came out but someone told me I should and it's been entertaining and in some ways insightful (just ignore some of the relationship advice!). 

On top of all this, we've been apartment hunting. We've come up on our one year mark with our friends and have all decided that this past year has been great, but it's time move (more on this later!).

9:30 PM 
By this time I'm getting tired, it's approaching that time of night for me that it's dangerous to bring up any serious conversations because I'm going to be emotional, irrational and possibly say things I regret. I longingly glance over at the unfinished scarp books or paintings I keep promising myself I'm going to complete, but by this time it's too late to start. Jason is usually in a groove with studying and will remain there until any time between 10:45 pm - 2:30 am. Most often he closes the computer around 11:30 pm - 12 am. Before heading to bed, I give him a peck on the cheek, a hug or a smooch and ask him if I can get him anything. He usually responds with, "no, I should be finishing soon" (I learned quickly after being married that "soon" means different things for both of us). I close the door to the office feeling slightly guilty that I get to sleep while he is studying, but what can I do? He works so hard, I'm constantly amazed at his dedication and ability to keep pressing on. 
It takes me a while to get ready for bed, if it's the beginning of the week I'm a bit grumpy as I pluck out the millions of bobby pens in my hair, brush my teeth and select an outfit for the next day. If it's Wednesday night I'm a little more confident that I'll make it through to Friday. Although I might be grumpy I usually settle down once I'm snuggled in the covers. Before I fall asleep I try to end the day with a prayer of thankfulness to God for bringing us through, for the roof over our head, employment to put bread (glutton free) on the table and favor that he has given Jason with his studies, professors and peers. I pray that he will bless our sleep and keep our hearts and minds fixed on the important things in life so as not to get bogged down by the small, insignificant things that creep in to steel our attention away from what really matters. I pray that God will sustain Jason as he works so hard and that Jason will behold the awesomeness of God as he studies the complexities of our bodies. 
I fall asleep with a full heart that also feels slightly empty for Jason but that quickly changes when I hear the coffee grinder downstairs as he preps the next day brew ... he's done studying! He then flings himself into bed (he rarely climbs under the covers slowly which causes all the heat to escape!) and I get to then snuggle in beside him and soak in these moments since down the road, he might be on long rotations in a hospital somewhere.

In the end, it's a good day. Individually they feel long 

but after a year of them it's amazing how short they seem! 

 

I chose this verse passage a few weeks ago for our chalk board to wrap up the end of our first year of medical school.

 It seems fitting!

The Cost of Medical School - 20 ways to make it work

         Jason and I both had the privilege of growing up with parents who taught us how to manage money, the importance of a savings account and to fear the big, D word ("debt"). When we met I was living paycheck to paycheck, but I was debt free. Jason was also living small and unbeknownst to me he had an impressive budget spread sheet in Excel. The kind that makes your eyes blurry trying to figure out what to focus on first (is this just my experience with Excel?). So far, we were following our parents wise advice ... and then Jason signed up for medical school! Even though this debt is an investment, I still felt like we threw our parents' advice to the wind. But Lord willing, it's only for the time being. If you are considering marrying a person pursuing any vocation in the medical world I highly recommend having the money talk soon, as in yesterday. Talk about both long term and short term costs. Our first conversation about medical school expenses was during our dating relationship, I remember the conversation well.....

          It was late on a Sunday night when we pulled 
into a friend's driveway and parked off to the side between two other cars. We had arrived late (as usual) and we were wondering why we had decided to come at all because it was around 9:30 PM, the next day was Monday and it wasn't typical bonfire weather (kinda muggy). Looking back I think we went because it gave us another chance to extend the evening together rather then say good bye and head to our separate homes for the night.  Plus, our friends were expecting us, they were already in the back yard around a blazing fire and we could hear them talking and having a good time; probably sweating too. But instead of wrestling the broken door handle to get out, Jason stared ahead and made a comment about how he wasn't at the same place in life as most men his age. Pushing aside the urge to join the laughter that came from the backyard I questioned him to tell me what he meant. He proceeded to talk about how most men his age already had a good job, an established career with regular hours and a good income. Some of his friends were already married, had a family, a house, a white picket fence, etc...  He asked me if I was expecting that of him because as sure as he didn't own a house, he didn't have the finances to consider it. In fact, it was going to be just the opposite since there was going to be medical school loans. 

 

               I sat beside him and contemplated what he said and then I was quick to assure him I wasn't in the least bit concerned that he was only just now pursing what he wanted to do in life.  Afterall, I sure wasn't one to judge! I thought by 30 I would be blissfully married with kids and established in life as a confident adult. In reality, I was approaching 29, dating with no kids, was working at a green house practically on minimum wage, was living next door to my parents and afraid all the time!

              After I felt confident Jason knew I was okay with where he was in life and what it could mean for our future, I hesitated to continue ... dare I ask about the loans?! I knew I had to, it would be foolish of me not to since I was falling in love with this ambitious man beside me. So, I silently gulped and asked him how much he thought it would cost for medical school. 

He answered,

First Semester Recap

            
      It's the new year, 2015 and WE MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST SEMESTER! From my perspective it was a great semester because it feels like Jason managed a healthy balance of lectures, study time, shadowing at the hospital and socializing with classmates and professors. Not to mention he got all "P"s (Pass!). Here's what it looked like for us, keep in mind, each school is different and depending on you and your med school spouse you should have room to shape the semester to best fit your lifestyle. Make it your own!

         Lectures for Jason were 8am - 12pm, Monday through Friday. A lot of lectures (if not all) are recorded and posted on line which gives him freedom to choose a bit of his own schedule. He came to find that listening to them online produced better note taking because he could pause or rewind as needed. But this also means that it doubles the time it takes him to get through a lecture so he has to be strategic about skipping class. He would normally skip certain lectures to get in extra study time if he had an exam coming up or to catch up on sleep.

          Study time is dependent on the personality of the medical student. For example, Jason studies best late afternoon through to however late he can stay up (usually between 12am - 2am). He studies other times too but he does better if he takes a nap after lunch or late afternoon, studies for a bit, eats dinner then picks up the books again. He also studies better by himself verses in a study group. He went to study groups this past semester but only before major exams. This routine actually makes it tough for me because I can't stay up as late as he does, I have to leave for work by 6:45am and can't function on such little sleep. It takes sacrifice on both our parts to make this work for our relationship, I'll be honest, it's been tough but it's not so much a medical school struggle as much as it is a "Jason and Sarah" struggle. It was tough even before med school.

         Shadowing in the hospital depends on each individual class requirements. Most classes this semester didn't call for shadowing which means Jason had a lot of room to choose when and where to shadow. Outside of mandatory times, it's predominantly on a volunteer basis. And prearranged shadowing was very loose, he just had to show he was there. Family Medicine was the class that had the most shadowing "requirements" (again, very loose). I believe this is one reason why the students are required to get their white coats and medical tools within the first month of starting school. Plus they start practicing basic patient interviewing (the students roll play in class). Did I mention that Jason chose a highlighter yellow stethoscope?! So far he hasn't met anyone else who picked this color and it makes him happy, he is super unique and that's why I love him!  

A Story of Christmas!

Once upon a time, in a far away land ....

                      The Tale of Three Trees                           The Countdown to Christmas 

              Retold by Angela Elwell Hunt              Written and Illustrated 

             Illustrations by Tim Jonke                                    by Bill Peet

          If  you are looking for wonderfull Christmas books, look into these! They are currently my favorite and even though my siblings and I are all gown adults, our Mom reads "The Tale of Three Trees"  every year on Christmas Eve. And every year she tears up because it's a story that penetrates the heart! The "Countdown to Christmas" by Bill Peet is just a silly favorite!

        Also, a sweet friend of mine put together the following Advent readings. She was excited that I wanted to post it and I am happy to share it with you (thank you Emily!). It starts with December 1st and goes through to Christmas Eve following the Bible's account leading up to the birth of Jesus and through his birth. I know, it's December 12th and I am just now posting this so there's some catching up to do. To be honest with you, I haven't read any yet but it's short verses, easy to catch up (for an audible Bible app go HERE ). ENJOY!

Dec 1:

The Word Became Flesh - beginning

 1 John 1:1-5  

Dec 2:

For Unto Us A Child Is Born 

Isaiah 9:2-7  

Dec 3: 

The Righteous Reign of the Branch

Isaiah 11:1-10

Dec 4: 

The Lord's Eternal Covenant with David

Jeremiah 33:14-16

Dec 5: 

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold - part 1

Luke 1:5-10 

A Story of Thanksgiving

Luke 17:11 - 19

"On the way to Jerusalem he (Jesus) was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests". And as they went on their way they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaratian. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."

 As we think over this past year if there is even just one thing that you are thankful for may it cause you to turn to Jesus. No matter what others around you are doing and no matter your current physical or spiritual state, even if you feel far off, he will hear you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The White Coat Ceremony

As a spouse it's important to take every opportunity to celebrate your loved one! I love when I can get out of our world at home and enter into his on campus celebrating each achievement. I am certainly effected by the highs and lows of medical school but in some ways, I'm also removed from this part of his life. I find myself feeling jealous of those books and exams that get so much of his attention but today I was so proud watching him walk across the stage to receive his white coat! It was good to hear the importance of what he is pursuing because at home it's easy to forget the expectations and pressure he is up against. 

What is a White Coat Ceremony?

During orientation week the students are issued their white coat to try on for size and several months into the first year there is a ceremony where certain faculty members and distinguished medical doctors present them with the coat and at Jason's school a note in the pocket from an alumni doctor. It is a big to-do so invite your family, closest friends, mentors and dress up like you would for a graduation ceremony. I didn't realize it was going to be such a grand ceremony otherwise I would have invite others despite Jason's complaints (he doesn't like to be fussed over).

The stage was full of faculty members and medical doctors who both encouraged the students that they are the best out of the applicants, they recognized their hard work, dedication and individual drive that got them to this point. One of the faculty members spoke to the students acknowledging that although they may have been at the top of their previous classes, they will now be faced with things they won't know. They will need each other and need to learn to work together because the practice of medicine is a team effort. She charged the class to remember compassion, to practice listening and asking good questions with peers, family members and friends because that will ultimately be what makes them a great doctor. A patient wants to know that they have been heard and that their doctor cares about their ailments just as much as they will be concerned with credentials and experience. As a spouse, equally concerned with her husband's growth in character and success, I particularly appreciated and enjoyed this charge. 

After the ceremony we took pictures, congratulated fellow classmates and I got to meet one of Jason's professors and then we scrambled to find a place to eat for brunch ending up at Cracker Barrel twenty minutes away. We like Cracker Barrel but if we had planned ahead we could have explored one of the local restaurants in the area. Next time!

Here are some pictures I took from my iphone, I forgot my camera and was disappointed because even though my smart phone has more mega pixels then my cannon, my camera still takes better pictures at a distance.

    Alongside regular classes and working part time outside of med school, Jason is taking a medical Spanish class and to the right is his professor. Above is Jason, his sister Dannielle and me.

"I acknowledge and accept the privileges and responsibilities given to me today as a physician-in-training and dedicate myself to learning to provide case to those in need. I will approach all aspects of my education with honesty and integrity, embracing opportunities to learn from patients, teachers, and colleagues. The diversity of their experiences, cultures, and belief will enrich my education and my ability to case for patients. When I feel unprepared for new responsibilities. I will acknowledge my limitations and seek guidance ... As I accept these new responsibilities, I will not forget the importance of my own health and well-being. I will continue to value my relationships with those who have supported me in the past and those who will share my future. Knowing my own limitations and those of medicine, I commit myself to a lifelong journey of learning how to cure, to relieve, and to comfort with humility and compassion."    -- Oath of Student Responsibilities

3 Years.

          Today is our wedding anniversary. I feel like it's cliche to say "only 3 years, it feels like longer", but that's how I feel. In honor of the day, below is the song we danced to at our wedding. It was a great start to the last 3 years!

"Million Miles" 
by Josh Garrels

Feel the wind blow, through the window, I know,
that we’ll make it through
It’s a million miles from, where we begun, and I,
I still love you

I remember, as clear as ever, the day,
when we first met
Lord you know I, l love to hold her eyes, in mine
everyday since

Everyday and night
Together we will grow
Makin' the most of a life
As we hold each other close

As we grow old, may it be told, that we,
never lost our flame
If love’s a fire, Then our desire, is to burn,
untamed

Everyday and night
Together we will grow
Makin' the most of a life
As we hold each other close

The First Month

      Prior to July of this year Jason was working full time, taking pre-med classes, studying for the MCAT, filling out applications, shadowing doctors and serving as the missions coordinator at our church. He was a busy guy but now with med school class time only 8am - 12pm plus part time work 4 nights a week through September (out side of med school), I see him more now then before. Some blogs I read this past summer and people I talked to said the first few semesters would be a tough adjustment, stressful for you and your med school spouse as you try to figure things out... OH CONTRAIRE!... I feel like at times I see my Jason more now then before he started school and he is also less stressed, he is happier and looking forward to the current class schedule. This was a nice surprise! I know it won't be like this all 4 years but it is now and I'm enjoying it! 

    
       Credit for this this smooth transition into med school, our new home and our new schedule/life style is due to God who has truly shown his favor and goodness! I'm a strong believer in prayer for the little and big things not only because God says in scripture...... "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God." (Philippians 4:6) ....... but it also reminds me of the existence of God and it helps me relax and be a bit more stress free because ultimately God is in control. We do our best, we are proactive, we plan, but if we are truly honest with ourselves the outcome is still out of our control. Therefore, the only right reaction to this smooth transition is to say: 

"THANKS BE TO GOD!"

A Couch and A Dress

Jason went out of town to visit his folks a week prior to when we needed to turn in our keys at our apartment. This meant that I was left alone to move out our final belongings and find a home for our couch. The last day in the empty apartment I was teary eyed and feeling sentimental about saying good bye without him and locking the doors to our first home together. I was standing in the middle of the hollow living room with the couch, a furniture dolly, my wedding dress and a camera ... the artsy side of me wanted to capture the moment and I decided to try on my dress again before packing it away! 

 I set the camera on top of the dolly and used the automatic timer. 

The Moving Process

For a majority of the time the process of moving 30 minutes closer to campus was a smooth transition because of careful planning and lots of prayer! In order to hopefully save you, dear reader, some trouble I'd like to share some tips.  Feel free to comment with your own tips too, this is this first time I've moved an entire house!

OUR FAVORITE KINDS OF BOXES:

NOTE: We found Lowe's Hardware Store has the cheapest moving supplies such as tape, bubble wrap and paper (if you don't want to use news paper).

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BANKERS BOXES: from office supply stores and best for CHINA- perfect size, double card-board sides, handles, cheaper then fancy china boxes and there's no taping involved.

PRINTER PAPER BOXES: ask friends/family who work in an office to collect the boxes that bulk paper is delivered in, they are perfect size for BOOKS. They should have handles and a deep setting lid so you don't have to use tape to seal them!

WARDROBE BOXES: I didn't know these existed, a friend who moved gave us some and they were wonderful for moving our HANGING CLOTHES and SHOES!

BABY DIAPER BOXES: My sisters with kids had plenty and I like them because they have handles. I used them for EVERYTHING!

WE FOUND THAT THE FOLLOWING MADE MOVING EASIER:

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1.  Pack in small stages - we were both working full time but even though time was scarce we didn't rush and took time to properly pack boxes and purge.

2.  Don't be shy, ask around! If you can get connected with someone who just recently moved you will do each other a favor by taking unwanted boxes/wrapping off their hands. 
3.  At the end of the day go by the local news station and ask for the left over news papers from the day. The papers should be free!

4.  Don't skimp on the bubble wrap for breakables! 

5.  If able, designate one room for finished boxes. This helps you live w/o tripping over boxes.

6.  Label the box based on what room it belongs. Things will get closer to their designated home right off the moving truck.
7.  Even though you finish packing a box wait to seal it until you are 100% sure it's done. You might need something or add something last minute.
8.  Use tissue paper or something similar in between news paper and the item you are wrapping. This keep the item from getting ink smudges from the newspaper.  
9.  If using an open bed, pick up truck you will need a tarp or large sheet/blanket to lay over top of any box that has a lid that isn't taped. 
10.  Skate boards work great for moving mattresses!

TIPS FOR STORAGE UNIT:

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1.  Put everything you can in a box, things will stack better.

2.  Label every box side: This is time consuming but will save time if you need to find something later.

3.  Label where the box can be stacked (bottom, middle, top). In order to utilize a storage until space you need to stack high.

4.  Pack things in the storage unit last that you might need later. 

America!

HaPpY InDepeNdenCe DaY!

Jason and I are staying with my sister, brother in law and my sweet six week old nephew for the long weekend and we haven't gone anywhere all day and are perfectly happy to stay in for the rest of the night. I like the idea of a good American cookout with burgers, hot dogs, watermelon, red, white and blue star shaped cookies and a fireworks show, but we aren't in the mood to go out and battle the crowds in the hot, muggy summer weather only to battle traffic on the way home.  So, my patriotic activity for the day is that I found and read the entire lyrics to "America the Beautiful". My hats off to anyone who cane sing it from memory! http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/americathebeautiful.html 

My other patriotic act for the day is posting the below poem I wrote in high school. This is the only poem I have written and the disclaimer for all the english majors out there is that I wrote it on a whim and it's probably full of errors ...... 

January 2000!