DEREK'S RESIDENCY GRADUATION

Derek completed his Medical Residency on June 30, 2016! It was such a wonderful day, as after three long years of training, long hours, weekend call and so much more, he had finally graduated! The medical school & residency life isn't easy, but it was so worth it! We are now loving our life with Derek at his new job as a physician with Kaiser Permanente in the CA Central Valley. 

Five Things {Graduation Edition}

{first scene pulling in from New Mexico & into the hot desert}

So we don't overload this blog with too many photos of Derek's medical school graduation {because I easily could}, here are our five favorite moments from the weekend. From the ceremony to floating the lazy river with pina coladas in hand, we sure enjoyed our last real visit to the state we spent so much of our  engaged & married life in. Man, oh man, Arizona is always going to be one of those places for me.

{before the ceremony, last time Derek would be a "student"}

{please see any of these fantastic doctors for your below the knee needs}

{the gang celebrating the big accomplishment}

{the doctoral hood; Derek also wore two cords for graduating Pi Delta with honors}

Doctor Smith

He did it & we're both so happy. 

Residency Match Day

Today was match day & we were anxious. 11:00 am rolled around and we logged in and saw our match. 

We're excited, happy, & grateful.
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P.S. Derek and I met 4 years ago today. You can read about that here.

The Tables Turn

The tables turned on this little soon to be surgeon last week. No worries, just a minor throat/esophagus scope, but that face says it all. His goal was to realize how patients feel to make him a better doctor. I think his favorite part was getting cranberry juice & fuzzy grippy socks.

 Silly boy. 

Those Months I Dreaded

Before Derek left for his audition rotations, I could barely utter the phrase "clerkship". I hated the thought of not being able to see Derek everyday. Even though his schedule is hectic and crazy, we always had mornings and late nights together, no matter the time. If he had to be up at 4:00 am, I was up at 4:00 am with him; making him breakfast, reading scriptures, and seeing him off for his day. If he got home after midnight from a late surgery, I waited up for him. Even if all I did was re-heat leftovers, pour a bowl of cereal, or climb right into bed with him, it was still time. 

Flash forward to today. The audition rotations are over & we made it. We managed 6 full weeks apart (plus smaller increments of 2-4 in between) which doesn't seem that long, but it was challenging in it's own way. Sometimes it was the time difference. Other times it was extreme exhaustion. It was that time I was crying my eyes out because someone broke into our car, busted the window, and stole Derek's backpack. Then, these little things seemed like the most horrible things in the world. Today, we look back and laugh. We did something hard, but it made us stronger. 

Stronger in the fact that we appreciate each other a little more. In the fact that after the long time apart, we still found the time for the things that were important in our relationship and life. Those things that we took for granite before like a date night or a trip to the temple. 

We realized that we can do hard things together and I know now that I don't have to be afraid. 

Living Like Eloise

Who else remembers Eloise? The little girl living the high life in a New York City hotel and all her adventures? Well, that's us right now, except we are in San Francisco. Derek started his clerkship here today and I have already walked my little legs to the dry cleaners, pharmacy, and even grabbed some hot chocolate. The weather is beautiful and it's even more of a treat that I am able to stay with Derek this month. We might not have a usual and traditional lifestyle right now, but we are over half way done with clerkships and by Christmas we will be back to our somewhat normal life. In the meantime, we will just be happy and grateful for this month together. 

San Fran Bound

Today Derek & I head to the city by the bay, San Francisco. Growing up in Southern California my entire life, I can honestly say I have never been to the bay area. I think people forget that it's about an 8 hour drive, and going through LA alone can take 2-4 hours depending on the day & time you leave. Derek will be here for the month of November, and I am very excited to spend more than a weekend exploring the city and surrounding areas.

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P.S. Since we will be traveling for Halloween, we won't be dressing up. For past years, click here & here. 

A Month Too Long

Today,  I have my bags packed and am jumping on a flight to Denver. It's been over a month since I've seen Derek, and I am literally too excited for words. Our weekend in the mountains will be filled with walks, talks, eats, snuggles, warm sweaters & hot chocolate runs. 

I can't wait to see the changing leaves and actually feel cold. But I'm even more excited for a big bear hug from my handsome mister. 

Colorado Bound

{Photo from Derek's mission to Colorado Springs. June 2004-June 2006}

Today Derek packed up the car and headed West from Washington D.C. to one of his favorite places on earth. Colorado has always held a special place in his heart ever since serving his LDS mission there. This time around, he will be completing a clerkship at a hospital in Denver and he couldn't be more excited. When we initially packed up our apartment in Arizona, I mistakenly placed an old Parker Colorado 2006 Stake Directory in a box for storage. Faster than the speed of light, or so it seemed, Derek snatched it up and gently placed it in his backpack to carry with him. Looks like this boy of mine really does love this state with the Rocky Mountains as their backyard. 

On another note, any must sees/eats while I visit Denver in a few days? 

Home to Stay

Well, we survived Labor Day weekend in D.C. It was busy, crowded, hot & humid, but really, really fun. We both totally fell in love with the city and all aspects of it. Riding the metro, the museums, local restaurants for dinner, and especially the neighborhood of Capitol Hill. I left Derek in the city for his first clerkship of the year and am at home in San Diego with my family. So far, Derek is enjoying the hospital, even though 18+ hour days might kill him in the end. I can't complain....I'm being just a tiny bit spoiled here at home.

Photos from our weekend will be up soon.

DC Bound

{Photo from our trip to Greenfield Village}

Today we packed up our little apartment in Michigan and waved goodbye for 5 months. We're off to DC for Derek's first clerkship and I couldn't be more excited! I have never been  to the Capitol City before, so I got myself a book and read up on what I should see in my short time I will be here. After a few days in the city, I will of course have a tearful goodbye as Derek drops me at the airport and I fly to California where I will be staying during Derek's travels across the country, with of course monthly visits to him at his locations.

Any tips & must sees or eats while we're both in the Capitol City? 

The OR

Derek was lucky enough to have spent almost every day last month in the OR. Weather it was observing, holding, cutting, or slicing, he was in there and loved every second. It was such a treat for him to come home and tell me all he saw, did, and sometimes smelled that day. Occasionally our dinner conversations revolved around toe/foot amputations, external fixations, and suturing, which is totally disgusting. Luckily, I have a very hearty appetite. 

In other news, we found out this week Derek was granted with this scholarship. We feel so blessed & are so thankful to have received it. 

eastern standard time

I don't know if it's just me, but I swear time goes faster here out here. Maybe it's because we're on Eastern time with all the New Yorkers, but I blink and it's already 4 pm. With busy mornings & having Derek out the door by six, it gives me a chance to to hop online and check on things in the wee hours of our old Idaho, Arizona & California time zones. Let me tell ya, lots of fun happens when we are asleep out here! Thankfully, because of social media, we are able to now, "catch up" instead of being in the moment. Oh, and don't worry. My trusty watch has been helping me out on time recently, even though she was 3 hours behind for a good few weeks. 

Happy Friday! 

With Derek's {curse word/weekend ruiner/pain in the bum} online conference call class through July, we are tied to the computer & phone until early afternoon. Seriously, who planned that?! 

Packing Up

Packing stinks .....

......from head 2 toe.

House Shoes

The day has come.

My poor feet finally gave out on me. My days of running around town in my cute, flat strappy sandals and coming home and not feeling it are over. Much to my avail, I have been "prescribed" house shoes & a strict nightly regimen by my cute future podiatrist husband. Thankfully, this pain isn't everyday, but teaching 12 hours on my feet means I come home to IB Profin & icing my feet. Oh, and wearing Crocs- which I SWORE I would never wear. Don't worry, these will never leave the house.....unless I am gardening. 

Scholarship Season

This season brings out some of the best (and worst) things in medical school life. Derek is wrapping up his 3rd year and this time next month will be in his last year of school. Que the hallelujah choir! It's also what we here like to call "scholarship season". We'd like to say were experts, and have applied and graciously been granted more than a handful of these bad boys the past three years. But this last one, man, it wore us out. Even I was in on the ordeal. Contacting financial aid counselors, printing, faxing, and copying transcripts, letters of recommendation, and of course, proof reading and editing the dreaded essay & autobiography. Derek is NOT a writer. If you look at his undergraduate transcript you will see that he pulled straight A's in all his pre-med, economics, and high math courses and slid by with C's in the few English ones he was forced to take. It is a long, tiring process for him to write, and usually involves some kind of head and back scratch in the middle. In the end, it's always a great and well-written piece he can be proud of. So our  plea to the scholarship Gods above....be nice, okay? 

Change of Plans

No more Tucson. 

No more Arizona.

Derek will be finishing his medical school training at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Eastern Michigan! 

We leave in June and are very, very excited. 

Road Trip

We're on the road to Tucson this weekend to house hunt. We're hoping we find somewhere to live in for the next year while Derek spends some time at the University of Arizona Medical Center before graduation next May. Fingers crossed. 

Happy Weekending! 

Rubber Gloves

Oh, heeeeeey booooyfrienddddd.

You look fly in that blue gown, face mask, and hair net. 

All mine ladies. All mine. :)