Fall is Coming

So last post was about the wedding back home and I will finish it but I want to add pictures and right now I am using Peter's iPod because he is using both computers to study and all of the pictures are on  my laptop.

Last week was an extremely busy week for Peter. Our flight didn't get in until around midnight and we had to be up early the next day for school and work.  Peter had a Behavioral Medicine exam on Tuesday for our night Monday consisted of US studying.  Yep that's right I was able to contribute. I received my undergrad degree in Child Development and Family Relations so I was really able to help him study all of the developmental theories like Erickson, Piaget, and Freud. Plus I was able to connect them to children we know in our lives which is easier to remember the developmental stages when you can connect them to people. AND he received a 95% on his test for only studying Monday night which was above the average. I think I'll take credit for this one. He is doing so well in school, I am so proud of his hard work.

  This weekend felt like we are finally established. Friday night we went on a date night. (Peter told me Friday morning "I've neglected you all week because of studying for my tests. Can I take you on a date." He sure knows how to make me happy. we went to dinner at a place called Latin King, which has phenomenal Italian food. Dinner was a celebration of a successful week. Peter earned A's on both of his exams and I was offered a new job in corporate sales.

This weekend felt like we were finally established. After our date we met some medical friends and spouses at our local pub for a few drinks and conversations on the patio. Saturday morning we went downtown to the farmers market with our friends Christian and Heidi, where we bought zucchini, squash, watermelon, and tomatoes. Then I went to work and Peter studied. Saturday night we enjoyed a relaxing night at Eric and Melanie's condo just the four of us celebrating Eric's birthday. Since we have moved here, I don't think we have seen a temperature below 72 degrees, even at night. And all of a sudden this weekend it's in the 60s. Fall is coming. And with that means football. Sunday I worked and then we went over to Mark and Maria's house to watch some the Seahawks game. There were a few couples all med students and their wives or fiancée and Mark and Maria's two adorableyoung children. We have been surrounded by quality people over here and I am enjoying the comfortablility that is coming with it.

Sorry if this post is choppy. My brother has called twice on his way to and from setting up a roofing job for the morning so I've been back and forth on this thing.  I sure love my brother and miss him immensely. He was the one sibling I didn't get to see the weekend I went close to home for the wedding. He is an incredible man with a huge heart.

One last thing that I am going to leave you with... Today Peter learned about normal and complicated grief and intense grief. His professor who taught this is one of his favorites and she started the lecture using a clip from the movie Up. He sent me a sweet text about this video clip and our relationship, loosing me and our love. When I got home from work today we ate dinner, and Peter pulled up this video clip for me to watch while he got ready for his intramural basketball game. Now I'm not typically a cryer but this four minute cartoon video made me cry. Hit a little too close to home and made me realize I would be a mess without my husband. I haven't seen the movie, just the commercial for it and now this clip. Sorry if it makes you cry like I did. On a lighter note Peter won his basketball game.

Here is the clip, Carl and Ellie's Story from Up:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9yjAFMNkCDo

Until next time. 
Sarah

Home for a Wedding - Day 1

There are very few events in life that I find more enjoyable than a wedding of a family member or good friend. So I was very thankful when we were able to attend our great friends' wedding back to our college home in Idaho. The week could not end quick enough for me. The anticipation of seeing our closest friends who we typically now will only see once a year at 4th of July and most of our family was making me all giddy. Unfortunately for my husband he had an Anatomy test Friday morning and another Behavioral Med test Tuesday. He was excited but also stressed.

Getting to the wedding consisted of three flights. We left right after his test and planned on arriving a little late to the dinner rehearsal. The entire time we were on the flight Peter planned on studying because he knew realistically he wouldn't accomplish much when we arrived. We just had one more quick flight to go - Seattle to Pullman. Still there was stress and tiredness in the air of all day traveling and not getting enough studying done because of the natural numerous distractions a plane ride hosts. We found our next gate and sat down when WHAM. I pretty much get tackled and hear the word "ROOMIES!".  An oh too familiar word that I had missed hearing these last couple of months especially by that man who says it. My brother-in-law, the one who we lived with for half our marriage was right there. It's amazing how one person can completely lift the mood and change your entire attitude. Immediately Peter and I were beaming. And of course the next sentence out of my wonderful brother-in-law's mouth was "We have 45 minutes, let's go get a drink to celebrate".

my brother-in-law and my husband at Seattle's airport

Sitting across these two and seeing them together again just made me plain happy. Apparently Danny had this planned and figured out our flight through others to surprise us and go on the same flight as us. It was a wonderful surprise and just set the tone for the whole weekend. 

When we landed in Pullman we had two old Buicks waiting to pick us up with two more bubbly siblings. The two that are still attending Idaho. (Danny made some quick-witted remark about buicks and how they could've parked in the handicap.)  I do not have a picture of their cute smiling faces waiting behind the chain link fence but I do have a picture or two of them from the wedding which pretty much sums them up.

Who wouldn't be excited to see these goofballs.

Next up: Dinner rehearsal. 

It is rare in life to find not just one friend that you share a unique strong bond with but a group of friends; one that regardless of time or distance does not ever weaken but only strengthens in the moment of reuniting. Unwavering love and support and also a whole lot of fun -  my friends from Idaho are just that. 

Walking through the doors and seeing these people who I hold so dear to my heart brought me abundance of joy that continued the rest of the weekend and I am so thankful and blessed to have each and everyone of them in my life. And very thankful to have had the opportunity to spend the weekend with them in celebration of one of the couple's love because of one very generous person who bought our plane tickets. 

... to be continued... sorry its getting late.


P.S. Go Vandals

Rainbow Bridge, Proposal, and Space Balls

So on my last post, I had every intention to finish writing about the previous weekend but feel asleep after completing Saturday morning. Also I reread it and was obviously tired so please don't mind the grammatical errors. :)  So here it goes:

After Jethros (the BBQ place) we came home a took a nap because we were in a food coma. Then we got ready and went to one of Peter's classmates and wife's place for dinner. This is a couple who I have felt an instant connection with and enjoy their company immensely. The plan was dinner and to go watch a free movie in the park. Dinner was great and I even got an idea for a wedding present for a wedding that we are attending here in about a week. I will post it once the wedding is over just in case she reads this ;).

After dinner we were following them there when we noticed he was leading us on a detour. He saw a rainbow bridge and wanted to check it out.

Now Peter and I have walked this park/bridge during the day but had no idea of the transformation it took at night. The bridge was incredible. I loved it and it just felt magical.

 

 Then it became even better when we saw the word "WILL" in chalk written about ten feet in. 

Immediately Heidi and I knew it was a proposal and we were looking for the next clue. We were like giddy school girls all excited and talking about how cool it would be if we witnessed it. Then came the "YOU".

There were a group of people that have been pretty even walking with us. All of them dressed up and enjoying the romantic walk over the water like we were. Heidi told me she thought it might be them but we weren't sure. Then finally, almost to the end of the bridge came the "MARRY ME?"

At this point we were ahead of the large group and just admiring the "marry me" when a guy came up to us and explained that his buddy is about to propose and asked if we could just act casually. So naturally we moved from the spot a little ways heading back the other way passing the group. Enough distance between us but close enough so we could witness it. Now we have been with this group majority of the time and I had not noticed and flowers but somehow when when we passed one man had a huge beautiful bouquet of roses behind his back. When the group got to the "MARRY ME", he dropped to one knee, pulled the bouquet from behind him and the woman's face lit up, her hands went to her mouth and then she just collapsed on his shoulder. I have never witnessed a proposal until that day and it was perfect. I love love. It was a perfect way to end a romantic walk.

Us :)

Our friends - they are so wonderful!

Have you ever seen the movie The Wedding Planner? Well if you have there is a scene where they watch an old romantic movie in the park, and everyone is on blankets and lawn chairs. Anyways I have always wanted to go watch a movie in the park like the scene from the Wedding Planner so when our friends asked us to go I was stoked! Well the movie wasn't an old romantic film it was Space Balls. But I guess that is more our style anyways.

I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy a full romantic day and evening with my husband on the first Saturday of medical school. And even though the movie in the park wasn't completely what I envisioned I still loved every second of cuddling with my husband on a blanket, with our friends next to us on a warm summer night.

World Famous BBQ

So right now it is passed midnight and I really should be going to sleep but I want to blog the rest of our weekend because it was quite memorable and I do not want to forget it especially with Peter's white coat ceremony this weekend and family coming in tomorrow. Just don't know when I'd have another time.

The day after closing down the bar was rough. But I already had a pre-arranged meeting with a man whose grandchildren go to the same Catholic school as my younger siblings. So contemplating rescheduling because of sleep, I got up got ready and met him, which I am glad I did. He was great and again having connections back home is always nice. But long story short he gave us some suggestions to go eat. Peter and I are going to have a date at least once a week where I get him for two hours. No studying, just me and him time. But since we had plans for dinner later with another couple, we went out to a BBQ place that this kind man suggested to us.

The BBQ place, called Jethros, is locally owned but nationally known.

Peter and I ordered the dinner for two and had enough left overs for both of us for lunch the following day. We had ribs, ten wings, a beef brisket, sweet potato fries, regular fries, coleslaw, green beans, and corn bread. AND they had six different bbq sauces on the the table for us to choose. It was delicious and we are hoping to take his parents and sister here while they are in town.

1st Week Complete = Celebration

Going from being lazy and relaxing at home to full time work and full time medical school student makes ya kind of feel worn out... at least it does for me. Friday after work I could have fallen asleep at 8pm. BUT it being such a big week, we felt the need to celebrate. So I dragged myself off the couch and we went down to a local pub that is walking distance from our place. This pub reminds me so much of a place back home called O'Doherty's, so of course we love going there.

We see a couple of familiar faces inside the bar and then get a text from another couple who were out on the patio so we all migrate out there. (I don't know what it is about Des Moines but they love patios and rooftops so there a lot of rooftop/patio restaurants and bar, which I love. Something about the ambience of being outside at night makes me happy.) We are sitting at a round table with a few couples, sharing a Boulevard Wheat pitcher and recapping on the week's events.

 The wonderful thing about new places is meeting new people. As I went around the table, there was a couple who were newly weds as of a month ago, from the midwest, moved to Missoula Montana just for the heck of it after college, went to Turkey on their honeymoon and just got a puppy. She was a first year and as of right now he said he was a "stay at home puppy daddy". Then I continue to the next couple, he is a first year student and she is a nurse, they have known each other for years (her husband and brother were best friends growing up and his name is Eric... sound a little familiar?) Then the last couple at our table were from Northern California, engaged and she is also a nurse and he is a first year. Now the crazy thing about this couple is they lived less than a mile away from us back home! He worked at O'Doherty's for awhile, went to Gonzaga, and she was a nurse at the same hospital I volunteered at. Small, small world.

I am truly enjoying meeting all of these people and listening to their stories. But as the night went on we were having a blast and then a song came on that reminded me of home. One of those songs that make you smile and then tug at your heart because you are missing things. And even though sitting at the table meeting some great people, I was missing the wedding of one of my former Sandpiper teammates and good friend's wedding.  And all of my family, including cousins grandparents, were all together at my aunt and uncle's house to celebrate a close family friends 50th wedding anniversary the following day. I think the hardest part of moving away is missing on those memories that you normally wouldn't miss and being around the people who you love. But I am thankful for the opportunity of growth but I sure do miss everyone.

The fun continued and more and more people kept showing up, and before we knew it, it was closing time. Even after they kicked us out of the bar we all stood outside talking some more before we all made the walk home. So I would say it was a successful evening of celebration, maybe even a little too successful.

His Birthday

Well it has been a few days since I've posted. Last post I was checking the mail everyday for Peter's birthday gift. On Peter's birthday, the 14th, I did not have to work till 1pm and Peter did not have class till 10am. It was refreshing having a morning off together especially on his birthday. While he was in class I ran to Costco, Walmart, and came home checked the mail again (no luck) and was prepping lunch/dinner when our door buzzard rang. His present was here! (I got him gray and red St. Louis Cardinals Basketball Nike Shorts) I had all of about five minutes to wrap it before he came back from class. We enjoyed lunch together and planned on having cake when I got home from work but he had his first quiz the next day and he studied late and then we went to bed. I guess putting off the cake was worth it because he earned a 100% on his very first medical school assessment!  I'm just a lil proud. So we had cake Thursday night.

It is amazing how much things can change in just one year. Last year on his birthday I threw him a surprise 25th birthday party at one of our all time favorite restaurants, O'Doherty's, and we were surrounded by family and friends. This year it was just the two of us and we sort of celebrated on his birthday but really the next day because of a quiz.

Also most of you probably already know this but Peter and his younger brother Danny share the same birthday. I think the hardest part for Peter was being away from his brother on their birthdays which has probably only really happened twice in their lifetime. Thank goodness for FaceTime. The boys do a silly thing where they "cheers" by putting the beer to their shoe and then cheers each other. I dunno when or where it started but they do it when they are celebrating something so of course it had to be done for a birthday cheer. I love these boys, especially for the daily random silly things they do.

Day 2 of being a Med Student's Wife

Well the anticipation is over and now the real world starts again. Yesterday, for my husband it was pretty much syllabus Day/ half a class then lecture. Unfortunately in undergrad we were used to "syllabus WEEK". Well today they hit the ground running in his all of his classes. His anatomy class covered in grave detail the first 2 weeks of embryology. Now at first your thinking well there is not much to it... but dang looking at his stuff there are words and words and layers and layers of things I can not even pronounce. So since I got off work he has been upstairs at his desk in the guest bedroom studying hard. I think dinner time will be my favorite time of the day when I finally get to spend time with Peter. When he is studying he has two computers open: 1 for listening to the lecture and looking at the slides, and he is typing notes on the other AND he has a book out too. So needless to say I needed to find something to do with my time.

(Side note: I love snap chat especially since my younger sister who is a junior in college snap chats me A LOT. Makes me feel like I'm there with her or at least not half way across the country)

Thankfully there was a scheduled first meeting for SOS (significant others of students). Basically this group is awesome. A bunch of women and some men get together and do things with other spouses who share common interests and all are there to support each other. The president said "no one truly understands what the spouse of a medical student goes through and that is why it is so great to have people go through it with you. We try and keep busy while our spouses are busier and we also make life long friends".

 I signed up for a few things hoping to try and stay busy, to not distract Peter and so I don't get lonely here. But another spouse of a 1st year too noticed that there was no Bible Study group. So we put down that we would be willing to lead one if others were interested. She is Christian and I am Catholic but I think between the two we could lead some awesome discussions. Plus I have some incredible resources back home who can help me lead this. If any of you out there have any suggestions I will gladly accept them. Other interests that you could sign up for that I did were: Fantasy Football, running group, cooking group (the facilitator is Thai and is teaching authentic dishes YUM!), crafts, etc...

It is almost 11pm over here and I feel like I have accomplished a good amount today. So it is comforting to be sitting on the guest bed while my husband studies in the desk next to me. Starting with  this morning I made our breakfast and packed a lunch for both of us, went to work and received a crash course on sales, different types of tile, how to install tile, designs of rooms with tile. and how to use their pos computer system. (Today was day 2 of my training as a Sales Associate/Manager Trainee at the Tile Shop)

Then I had about an hour to get home, cook and eat dinner and head to my meeting. Thanks to my amazing Mom I know how to plan and prep a meal. So was still able to I make salmon with couscous and steamed broccoli for dinner. Then went to the SOS meeting, came home made and Arnold Palmer for Peter, changed and went and worked out doing cardio and lifting. Upon my return I did dishes, made another veggie dish for an evening snack (zucchini, onions, mushrooms with gorgonzola cheese - recipe thanks to my best friend), prepped tomorrow's dinner, and finally packed our lunches for tomorrow.

I will be the one from here on out who does majority if not all of the house work which is a role I gladly accept. Since we've been married I can probably count on my fingers how many times I have done the dishes by myself. The last three years Peter has made me breakfast in the mornings, packed my lunch AND did all the dishes after I cooked dinner. Yep ladies he is quite incredible. So now it is my turn to make life easier on him.

Tomorrow is Peter's birthday. I have checked the mail way too many times these last few days for his present but still waiting on it. I am sad because I have the closing shift tomorrow 1pm-9pm but hopefully when I get home Peter can stop studying and we can just celebrate. As of right now I am either going to go to bed or studying the Tile Shop products until he is ready for bed.

Today is THE day

Well the big day is almost over. I am currently writing this post while my husband is across our new, little table studying and I can't help but smile. Reflecting back on so many years ago when we dreamed and dreamed of this moment. The moment when he would start medical school; and TODAY was that day. I have been meaning to start writing long ago but with the craziness of moving across the country, I've kept pushing it off. And then there were those times after we moved and everything was unpacked when I did have time to write but I did not want to use precious time writing when I could be spending time with my wonderful husband, even if that was just watching Scrubs on the couch. Because I knew, never again will we BOTH not be in school, or working, or have children. So I opted out of writing to cherish every lazy second with him.

Not quite sure what I want to get out of this blog. Maybe just a recording of our journey, or a way to connect to loved ones back home or strangers who happen to make a connection to my words. Either way I thought I would try it out.