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.