Waiting...

"keep an open mind and realize that however much we see, there is always more to the picture."

I had an epiphany of sorts while thinking of the way I've focused the content of our blog. & how monthly updates aren't the best way for me to give you a glimpse into the whole picture...because things for us don't really happen on a month to month basis...they can span months at a time. I don't know if this means updating more or less frequently but I know it means including more of the stresses experiences and decisions that are unique to being married to a medical student/soon to be doctor.  

For example, for the last 2 months (and until March 21st) we've been waiting. Waiting for "Match Day". The day we find out out where Rick matched for residency. It's a difficult, anxiety filled, exciting period for two people who don't like waiting. We have no idea where or what to plan for because we have no idea where we will be. As we approach Rick starting residency it seems there are constant reminders about how residency will suck...we are aware - and are grateful to be aware so we can set an expectation of not easy life for the next 5 years - BUT sometimes we wish people wouldn't remind us...and just let us be thrown into the fire pit of residency and experience it and survive it. 

Basically, I'm getting impatient and increasingly nervous as match day approaches...but I know Rick has worked crazy hard throughout school and that we will end up where we are supposed to.

Words of advice for the match/waiting period: 

-pray about it...and then just let it be

-think about what will make you happy and rank based on that (i.e. proximity to family, cool location, the residents you'll be working with/ that you meet at interviews) all of those can be important but pick the one that makes you most happy and would be worth sacrificing for

-remember that wherever the future doc felt most comfortable is important

-know that wherever you end up, there will be something great there

Happy [belated] Valentine's Day!

I had this ready to post Friday morning…but it was quite the eventful day for us…more on that in the February post.

Wishing each of you lots of love and happiness.

p.s. i think every kind of love should be celebrated today - so even if you're single, bask in the love from your friends, family, babies, & sometimes even a nice random stranger! 

& just because I'm cheesy - here are a few (ok, more than a few) cheesy quotes about love: 

 

 

 

and also a link to a post about love on a blog i like to read because i think she articulated her thoughts on love beautifully! 

Thankful Thursday!

Today I'm thankful for forgiveness...for big things and tiny things. Can you imagine if we weren't able to forgive/be forgiven!? I know it'd be terrible for me with as many times as I mess up in this life. I need to be quicker to forgive...like little kids are - sometimes if I'm offended I like to pout on it for a while...and that's pretty pointless! 

"May we pray to our Heavenly Father to help us overcome foolish pride, resentment, and pettiness. May He help us to forgive and love, so we may be friends with our Savior, others, and ourselves."

-David E. Sorenson

When life gives you lemons...

…you've got to use them. 

So if life ever gives you a multitude of lemons like it did us, here are a few things you can do: 

• Get a pitcher from the dollar store, fill it with lemons, print and attach a sign that says "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade"...use as small gift (i.e. white elephant, visiting teaching, etc.)
• squeeze and strain all juice and freeze it in ice cube trays for later use
• make lemon sorbet
• find recipes that use lemons and/or lemon juice (citrus pork recipes are great, as are blueberry scones with lemon glaze) 
• make lemonade

JaNEWary 2014

Typically by the end of the month I've forgotten what our month consisted of and all the little details or funnies that I wanted to incorporate in the blog...so I turn to my phone for a little flashback of the month...

home made blueberry sorbet and lemon cake.

Rick makes the best buttermilk biscuits ever.

home made lemon sorbet

our attempt at woopie pies. way too much work.

our favorite, Greek. (we got a $25 credit for $4 from restaurant.com)

crepes!

clearly we started out 2014 with healthy food choices.

Rick finally finished interviewing for residency programs...we had a long drive home from the airport on the day of the BCS championship and he was a little anxious to say the least.

us during the game/when FSU won.

I made some crazy, crazy looking bread. Never again.

Every year my office has a planning meeting at the beach - this year we drove past this and I tricked everybody that it was snow. But no, it's just white sand. 

On the way home after the work weekend this sneaker took a surprise turn to take me to watch the sunset off of the longest pier ever. Such a romancer.

pretty sure i married a model.

We fed the missionaries - let me know if you want some to come visit you, they're awesome!

I guess I should have warned you about a semi "graphic" photo. I had a biopsy done on this pesky bump that had been hanging out for too long. I made Rick come with me because he told me beforehand they were likely going to cut it off. He was right. I got to rock the bandaid face for a while to cover up my new burn - talk about a lesson on being self conscious. Lidocaine shot in the nose isn't something I recommend. 

After some webMD and google searches leading me to believe I might have skin cancer and need Mohs Surgery (click here for very graphic photos),  it was a relief to know it ended up being a ruptured hair follicle (what?!?!?!?!!)...I didn't realize my nose had hair follicles to rupture.

That weekend we went for a bike ride downtown because the weather was gorgeous...but still very cold...that's why we look so cool in our bike riding attire.

We saw some dolphins. It is very difficult to get pictures of them jumping. 

Also, they didn't look so tiny in real life. 

Rick went to his first hockey game!

He thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Um, I hope our babies make this face!

We got rid of cable! It is saving us a little over $85/month! We did it as soon as football season was over. 

This is our new antenna. We have to put it on the chair in just the right spot if we want to watch FOX. 

$20 well spent my friends. I still get to watch the Bachelor and the Black List and my singing shows. 

We finished up January with the city turning into ice for a few days. We stayed inside the whole time - except to go look at it up close. Everything was closed!

When I finally had to go back to work, my angel husband scraped all the ice off of my car. 

 

I know a lot of people poke fun for FL shutting down when this type of weather comes but we just aren't equipped with the salt trucks and such down here! We don't even own an ice scraper...Rick used a spatula. 

The Publix cashier today informed me that we are supposed to turn to ice again next week.

& also that it is currently cold in Africa. [I've yet to look into either of those fun facts]

I might have to update more frequently for my memory's sake.

Life lesson of January: if you're visiting FL in January, bring your snow boots.

Things we're looking forward to in February: Rick not having to travel alone/me not having to stay home alone. 

IMPORTANT: New URL

Hey friends - I know there aren't many of you followers out there but for those of you who do see this and follow, in an effort to keep our last name a little more private in preparation for Rick starting residency, I am changing the blog URL when I update with a January post this week.

Please change it on your reading list to: www.likemydog23.blogspot.com 

Why is the new title "Like my dog"? ...it's just an inside joke that the husband and I say to each other. It was his idea & since this is a blog documenting our lives, I decided it was appropriate.

Confession

When I lived with Karina, we would sometimes walk into each others' room and say 'confession' .....and then spill the beans on something we did, said, thought, etc. that we wouldn't share with just anybody but we had to tell somebody. 

I'm almost too embarrassed to post this...but in an effort to include the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly, here it goes...

When asked once upon a time what Rick's favorite things about me were he answered "how loving and kind she is".

But sometimes I am not kind. 

It typically happens a few days before I start my period. 

I'm not saying it's all to blame on the hormones but I also don't think it's coincidence that it's around the same time of the month that I occasionally get a fit of fiesty-ness that makes me want to cry about anything. 

It's not cute. 

I get annoyed at one thing and it snowballs into everything and my poor Rick gets the brunt of it. 

He typically laughs or makes what would on a normal day be a funny comment..or he makes a comment that I would on any day take offense to - I'm sensitive. 

and then I'm mad. 

and then he says something I don't want to hear. 

and then I'm crying. 

and he's just confused as to why I'm crying. 

and then sorries are exchanged 

but I still feel embarrassed/guilty for acting like such a snob. 

And then a few days later when my period starts and I can literally feel the crazy escaping me - I remember I can repent and be better. I realize that it's those moments that allow me to grow and it's the comments my husband makes that my pride takes offense to that are actually the things I need to take to heart so that I can grow to be a better person. 

I realize that when I'm getting aggravated because the waiter is terrible and i'm hungry and he hasn't brought me ketchup and Rick is eating all the fries - yes, seriously ridiculous. I promise this is not typical behavior. and Rick tells me I'm being ridiculous, he isn't lacking compassion, he's telling me the truth and telling me I'm better than the way I'm acting.  

I love my husband so much. More than I know how to express. 

Sometimes I may not appreciate him calling out my faults at that moment - but if he didn't ever do that, he'd just be tolerating them. And then I wouldn't know in what ways I can improve myself or love him better. 

"Kindness is the essence of a celestial life" 

- and there is no other life I want to work towards while holding my sweet, sweet husband's hand as we journey on.

p.s. Rick grew up with no sisters so sometimes I'm sure he thinks I'm crazy. 

(luckily he still tells me he loves me too)

Please tell me I'm not. 

Does your period sometimes make you cranky/emotional too?!