scrubs & skillets

OK, is it really possible that it’s been almost 2 months since I posted to S&S?!  I *cannot* believe it.  While my shock subsides, let me just offer an explanation for my disappearance . . . YSN is trying to kill us!  It’s true!  Call someone!  HELP!

Seriously, when we all started the program they made such a big deal about how hard the 1st year was that we naturally assumed that surely that meant years 2 and 3 were going to be better/easier/whathaveyou.  We sort of counted on that belief, and it was what got us through that first year in fact.  Perhaps it’s better that we didn’t know that the worst was yet to come, or we might have just casually stepped aside, gave out a few hugs, shook a few hands, and said, “Thanks but no thanks” with a one-way plane ticket back home.  Ahh, home.

Well, here I am, with just a little over a month until the first half of my 2nd year is behind me, and I get almost a month to recoup!  I’m finally through the worst of it — I’d been counting on last night’s arrival for quite some time and it was such a relief when it finally arrived.  I celebrated with PJs, TV, mac & cheese and a glass of wine.  Perfect.

So let’s see, what’s been happening besides 12 hours a day of studying and not getting enough sleep?  Hmm.  Surely there must be something.  Well, I had a birthday!  It was such a crazy time that it was hard to even recognize it this year, and if you know me, you know that’s odd because I love birthdays (thank you all for the cards and presents — I appreciated it so much!).  Kurt did take me away to Newport for the night, which was lovely despite the rainy weather.  We ate dinner at the White Horse Tavern, which is one of the oldest tavern buildings in America, built in 1673.  It was a very memorable experience and funny too — it’s a very nice place, and yet as the rain started to really pour, I started getting sprinkles of water shooting at me.  Hey, what do you expect when something was built in the 1600s?!  Our server was excellent and we had a very good meal.  There were some people out on a nighttime walking tour of Newport that I think were on a ‘ghost’ tour, and people kept snapping photos of the Tavern while we were eating by the window, making me think the guide must have been telling them stories of it being haunted.  Let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised!

Here are a couple scenic shots from the weekend . . .

From our top-floor hotel room – it had a really great view; this photo really doesn’t do it justice (the road you see is from Newport to where we were staying on Goat Island):

A view of the bridge that takes you into Newport:

I also had a lovely recent visit from my dear friend Tanya, who currently lives in New Jersey.  She attended a couple of my classes, baked for me, made me laugh, listened to me endlessly whine about school, and kept me company during the week.  Love you, CB!

Kurt has still been working a ridiculous schedule, but it looks like he might be able to start coming home on Thursday nights, which will just be so much better.  I know it’s only 1 extra night, but tipping the scale to have him home more nights than he’s away is a big deal to me.   So between his schedule and my schedule, we’ve been really busy, and really stressed, but we’re managing!  How are we managing, you ask?  Well, see for yourself:

What did you expect — photos of us meditating?  This is the east coast, people — when in Rome, you know!

The weather is starting to get quite chilly (it actually snowed a few weeks ago — *crazy*!).  Today was surprisingly temperate, and since the BIG CHILL is right around the corner, I had myself an iced coffee today in defiance. Screw you, winter!

Besides an obscene amount of constant exams and studying, I also get to play with newborn babies, as the family and pediatric specialties have to know how to do full newborn assessments (fine by me!).  I love their little squishy bodies, especially when they are sooo tiny (like 12-24 hours old).  I’m all done with those now, and will be moving into older adult assessments, starting Thursday.  Be prepared for a story or two!

In other, more interesting, news — we’ve made Christmas plans!  San Diego, you ask?  Nope!  San Francisco then, surely?  Nope!  We’re going to Disney World!  Neither of us could bear the thought of a really long flight, or schlepping presents across the country and back, and while I miss my family and friends just so much it hurts, we really needed a trip where we could look forward to spending some quality time together in a warm climate with no stress.  How can you be stressed in Disney World?  Exactly.

Finalizing wedding plans is on the agenda for this week, but June 2010 is Cabo is *very* likely.   Stay tuned!

That’s all for now friends, but I promise to be back sooner than soon!  Have you checked out Dreamy Dish recently?

Miss you, xoxo!