Hello Forrest!

As you all know from my countdown I've had going for months now, Match Day was this last Friday.  It was a very exciting day from sun up to well past sun down.

Daniel was up and ready to go by 8:30.....

we didn't have to leave until 10:00 (someone was a little excited).

My parents came by and picked up Dax for him to spend the evening and next day with them (his first time to sleep anyone other than home without mom and dad). Our day and night were full of Match Day festivities and we planned on spending Saturday packing and sorting through toys.

Daniel's class saved up most of their student fees over the years to have an awesome Match week/day. They had fun activities planned every night and a beautiful day planned for Match Day.

 

The day started out with mimosas, beer, coffee, and chitchatting/peeing your pants from the anxiety of what was about to happen. At about 11:50 we sat down for a few words from a few people and close to noon they started the countdown video... you could hear a pin drop!

At then end of the countdown it said something about their fate being in their pot of gold...

So Daniel poured this bowl out all of the table as fast as he could could and pulled out puzzle pieces to put together this...

We're going to Mobile, Alabama (hints the Forrest Gump reference in the blog title)!!!! This was Daniel's #2 pick (the only reason it wasn't #1 was because there was a location that was a little closer to friends) but in his heart it was his #1!  Daniel was so ecstatic and I think I was in shock for awhile!  I cried a little.... Daniel teared up some and there was lots of hugging and saying, "OMG we're going to Alabama".

 

This was the only program that I went to the interview with Daniel (that must have been a sign or something there). They were so, so welcoming to the spouses and even gave me a tour of the city while Daniel interviewed during the day. We both loved the people and could tell that this program would be very family friendly (something hard to find in surgery programs). 

Daniel also has a friend that matched in Mobile with him so that was very exciting as well. We'll be an hour from super nice beaches. We're living on the Gulf of Mexico.  I never in a million years thought I would be living by the ocean (Up until a few years ago I had never even been to the ocean... and my trip to Daniel's interview in Mobile was my first flight ever). If I had a dollar for every time in the past 3 days that I've said, "We're moving to Mobile" I think I would be rich. I don't think it really sunk in until last night. This thing called med school is one crazy ride that's for sure. 

The rest of the day included a nap, dinner on the patio at Pei Wei, a party bus, and a night of celebrating at the boathouse in OKC (like I said, hubbys school saved up the student fees to make sure they had a memorable Match Day). 

So I guess ready or not.... here we come Mobile!!

Rollercoaster

Well tomorrows the day.

Tomorrow, the madness of our world completely changing will start and we'll start endlessly researching and thinking about the new town we'll be spending the next 5 years in.

I go into tomorrow with just a roller coaster of emotions building up inside me. I'm excited for this next chapter. I'm proud of Daniel for reaching his dreams. I'm eager to begin planning. I'm happy to try something new.
But I think the emotions that are taking over the most here lately (up until this point I've been really excited... I guess maybe it's just becoming more real) are those of fear, anxiety, and sadness.  I am terrified of starting over somewhere I know nothing about. I'm anxious about moving somewhere I don't know a single soul. And I'm extremely sad to be so far away from my family.

But I know this is all just part of the journey. Only a small segment of what our life holds. And I know we will grow so much as individuals and as a family through this experience. We can do anything for 5 years.

Maybe after tomorrow I'll feel better. Maybe it's just the unknown right now that's freaking me out.

But whatever it is I know we're going to be just fine. This is just part of the journey.

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."  James 1: 2-8   (This verse. Wow.)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:6-8

"If" Day!

So how's your Monday been going?

Oh until 11:00 am ours was not so hot. Hubby slept very little... and I had a stomach full of butterflies.

But then 11:00am came and boy how quickly our Monday changed...

Daniel matched!!! Woohoo! All of his hard work over the past 4 years and money spent on interview season paid off. He officially gets to do what he loves (be a surgeon) for the rest of his life and he has a job come July 1st!

After being swept off my feet and spun in circles... we celebrated with a toast of champagne and then headed out for a celebratory lunch!

At lunch I asked him how he was feeling.... "I feel like I'm on cloud 19"

What a wonderful day. I couldn't be more proud of my husband.

Now only 4 more days of waiting to see where we matched at (again... cruel and unusual punishment... why not just tell us now?).

30 Months

As I've mentioned before... one of the purposes of this blog is to keep our friends and family up to date on our little man and to serve as a "memory book" sort of thing for myself.  With that said... my little boy is officially 2 1/2 (30 months) so here are 30 facts about him...

1. He's quirky to say the least. He likes random hats (the more bizarre the better), sunglasses, goggles... you think quirky... and it fits him to a T.

2. He loves to ride his bike.... and he ask to do it about 50 times a day. But how can I say no when he looks that rockin in his shark helmet and shades?

3. He finally.... at 30 months... has all of his teeth! This boy didn't get his first tooth until he turned one.... and only had 8 until about a month ago... and bam... they all came in at once!
4. He is a wild man for sure. 110% little boy. Wrestling and racing are some of his favorite activities. Luckily he has figured out that those games are more fun when Daddy is home so most of it only takes place in the evening when I can run and hid.
5. He, for the most part, is really, really easy to discipline. He doesn't argue much and will usually only protest once ("I don't want to clean up") but as soon as we tell him that's not a choice and he has to... he does. Hopefully this personality trait stays around for awhile longer!
6. He has a huge, huge heart. I can so much as look at him wrong and his heart just breaks. Precious boy.
7. He's potty trained!!!!  Almost...   He's been in underwear for a week now and is doing awesome. The only issue is with #2... which is typical for kiddos. He's even waking up to go potty and is telling us when we're out running errands and he needs to go.
8. He requires a lot of accessories at night time.... music box, puppy light, cars blanket, pillow, nahnees, cup of water, and usually 2 small toys.
9. He still loves his "nahnees"  (his blankets he's had since he was born). I hope this doesn't end for a very long time. I love it.
10. He also still loves being outside. He would stay out all day, every day if I let him. You can bet that when spring gets here I will.

11. He is starting to become a daddy's boy. I love it and I'm pretty sure daddy does too. He still wants me most of the time when he's tired or hurt...  but he certainly thinks his daddy is pretty awesome.
12. He loves anything Cars.... but just sort of loves the movie. It's the personification of the cars that intrigues him a lot.
13. He always has been and still is a little chunker. He has some major thunder thighs (thanks to a mommy and daddy who both had them as well). We actually have to go up a size in underwear (he has 2T/3T but we're going to have to get 4T) because his little booty and legs are so big.
14. He still has the strange fascination with school buses.
15. He's starting to come up with great excuses lines... like saying "I'll love it tomorrow" when he doesn't like something.... "My tummies full of ____" fill in the blank with whatever activity he doesn't want to do (pottying, cleaning, sleeping, etc).... and "______ said I need to" fill in the blank with Mommy or Daddy or Sophie (our dog), but really no one told him anything. This last one happens usually when one parent tells him no to something.
16. He's really goofy..... yet cautious and a thinker too.
17. He loves making his toys talk. They have really deep conversations with each other
18. Loves to fish (he's mommas boy for sure!)

19. Likes to pretend he's an airplane and "fly" around the house. He usually has mommy or daddy doing it with him. I make sure the windows are closed when this is happening.
Favorites:
20. Color: Orange
21. Food: Pizza
22. Fruit: Blueberries and Watermelon
23. Veggie: Corn on the cob
24. Book: Dinosaur Diner & Goodnight Train
25. Show: He is limited on TV still... but he really likes Bob the Builder and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Mommy doesn't like either of these so I try and encourage Barney. He loves Barney.
26. Drink: Juice (ugh).. he's limited to one small cup a day.
27. Song to sing: Wheels on the Bus... again with the bus fascination
28. Toy: A wooden Cars track he got for Christmas, unit blocks, and puzzles.

29. Animal: Dogs... he loves his "sisters"
30. Place to go: Mall and Reasors (grocery store with race car shopping carts)

Well that's my boy.... he's growing way too fast and it makes me super sad....

You learn so much in med school

As wives of those studying to be a doctor, you start medical school knowing how much is going to be learned over the next four years. You know days and nights are going to be spent studying, you know they will start speaking medicine in their dreams, and you know long hours will be spent away from home as they perfect their trade .

But I know for me... as I'm sure is the case for most women that have gone through medical school alongside their spouse.... what I was most surprised by was how much I myself would learn and grow over the next four years.

Growing up I was the youngest child and always had someone around me that I could depend on. I had a quieter, more reserved personality so when out and about I would let others do most of the talking and interacting for me. I have the personality trait that many Native Americans have (as did my grandfather and dad) where I like to sit back, watch, and listen to what's going on in the world around me more than be up in the middle of all the action. I was also a very "dependent" person. I didn't like to do things alone and clenched on to whoever was around me. And "initiative".... not in my vocabulary.
Now after almost 4 full years of medical school under our belts, I can proudly say that most of those traits are in the past (don't get me wrong... there is still plenty of room for more growth). I now consider myself very strong, independent woman. Being thrown into life (especially with a little one) where your spouse is so busy they can hardly take care of themselves, let alone anything else that needs to get done, will make you quickly adapt to being able to take care of business on your own. You'll get use to making important phone calls on your own, taking kids to doctors appointments on your own, hanging picture frames on your own, running the house on your own. When you're husband is gone for a month on a rural rotation and the house doesn't fall apart and crap still gets done... I'd say you've become pretty independent and strong.
So this post was a shout out to myself.... and all the other independent women who are/have grown and learned along side their Doctor Husbands.  Way to go ladies!

Check out more blogs from some of these strong women (along with others that are living a medical life) on the Medical Mondays Blog Hop!