Traveling to our future home

This past weekend we headed to our "new home." On Saturday we looked at nearly fifteen places to live with our parents. Then we drove around and explored the area and checked out the hospital where Drew will start working on July 1, 2010. Unfortunately I didn't have my memory card with me and didn't get any pictures at the hospital or of the area. I consider myself a photo-holic because I am constantly pulling out my camera and snapping photos all the time... so I am a bit ashamed that I didn't take any photos to document our first visit to our new home. After exploring all day on Saturday and seeing so many places I was absolutely exhausted and overwhelmed (and a bit overtired from a busy week). Luckily after getting a good nights sleep Drew and I had clearer heads and decided on a place to live! We are very excited and I cannot tell you how much of a relief it is to found a place! Again, no photos (hangs head in shame), but maybe we'll get some next time we visit. So that's all the news I've got, but its pretty big news to us. Hopefully if all goes well this week we'll be able to cross "housing" off the to do list!

Fabulous and Exhausting weekend

We had a wooonderful weekend! Friday night I spent laying around trying to rest up and fight off my lingering cold. Saturday I went in to work in the morning and then tried on just about every dress in my closet trying to get ready for the Winter Ball. We had a blast and I hope to post pictures tomorrow. And then today we went to church, ran some errands, tried to tidy up around the house and then headed to a super bowl party. It was a great weekend of catching up with Drew's medical school friends - we've been really out of the loop with our busy schedules. I'm exhausted and need to get some rest to be ready for another busy Monday at work, but hopefully I have pictures and details about winter ball posted tomorrow night. Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

First of all, I just wanted to say thank you for all the encouraging comments! Sometimes I need to hear those things from other people to help me believe that they are true. Like I said, it is truly a battle because I do know that everything will be just fine, I just struggle with the lack of control and all the unknown. Posting my feelings was theraputic and Tuesday and Wednesday were much better days. I also think that tums may be my new best friend.

I noticed this week that our apartment has been particularly organized and the running of our household has been so much smoother. It wasn't until I noticed this that I realized that it might have something to do with the fact that I've actually be home, the past two weekends. I had been on the road every weekend since October, and Drew hasn't been home a full weekend since July! It's amazing how much smoother the week can go when you have the weekend to do laundry, dishes, tidy up and organize. We've been used to getting home around 7:00 p.m. most nights and then having dinner and then trying to pack/unpack, do laundry, dishes and the household chores at night. And most of the time we are behind on these chores so we just can't manage to catch up! So it has been unusually nice to just be able to get ready for work or make a meal without having to do a load of laundry or clean the sink full of dishes first. I am already looking forward to another weekend home, and having Drew home for at least part of it.

Speaking of staying home on weekends we are somewhat on a travel boycott. Well at least I am. Drew has still had interviews so he hasn't been able to stay home. The poor guy is so used to staying on aerobeds, guest beds or hotel beds! Needless to say we are trying to cut down on travel and visiting friends and family for the next few months, just so that we relax at bit. To give you an idea we put 24,000 miles on my car last year. And I only live six miles from work and its less than 3 miles to Walmart! We travelled a lot in 2009 both for interviews and also to see family and friends. Its hard because my family in particular isn't the best with coming to visit. Which means that if I want to see them, we have to drive up north. It also doesn't help that almost all of our family and friends are located in the same area. Which means that we usually try to pack in visits to several different people in one weekend. And while it is so much fun to see everyone, it gets exhausting. And the sad part is I still don't see everyone I'd like to nearly as much as I'd like too! But ultimately, I realize that we are truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives that we wish we could see more.

I don't know how long I'll be able to avoid traveling, just because its hard to pass up opportunities to see the people I love, but for now, I am enjoying the time at home!

My weekend in Pictures

Saturday morning my Mom and I headed over to my Aunts house where I got to see my cousins and their two little cuties. (Here is Sophie).

And I got to meet baby Connor for the first time!
Then we picked Drew up from the train. And headed to my hometown favorite, "The Freeze" so that Drew could get a well deserved cotton candy blizzard
Drew and I then took a nap (he was on call the night before). And we headed out to a late dinner with my wonderful parents. I also figured out how to use the timer on my camera, which allowed for this picture to be taken....

On Sunday our friends (Elizabeth and the Craigens) came over. Here is a picture of my beautiful Goddaughter (just after she had fallen asleep in my arms!)

It was a wonderful weekend filled with just a few of my favorite people!

Life is good!

Brief Update

Just checking in after another fantastic weekend with family and friends. I finally feel like I can really unpack because I don't have any plans to travel until the end of next month! How unusual that we will have consecutive weekends at home?! Unfortunately, it is going to be a crazy busy week at work so I don't know when I will have time to update on our great weekend and Drew's fourth year (so-far)... but hopefully it will be soon!

Another fun and busy weekend

This past weekend Drew's cousin got married. A few weeks ago I offered to help with the odds and ends on the day of (kind of like a day-of coordinator). I was hoping that I could give the bride some peace of mind and help things move smoothly on her big day. (I figured I know how to help since I have been married and have been in quite a few weddings so I know what things need to get done). So on Thursday night when we were at the rehearsal I introduced myself to the church coordinator and told her I would be helping out and asked if there was anything I could do. Her response was "Oh your the wedding coordinator, great! Just follow me around and I'll tell you what you have to do." I tried to explain that I was just a friend helping out, but for some reason from then on I was dubbed as the wedding coordinator. It was quite funny actually. Some of the bride's family and friends really thought I was a wedding coordinator! (People were asking me if it was my job, and asking whether or not I was available for hire). Although it was a very busy day, I had lots of fun being part of the action! The beautiful bride

Mr. and Mrs.

Saturday was a day of recovery - we lounged around at the newlywed's house and ate leftover wedding cake before heading to my parents house that night.

Sunday morning Drew and I woke up early for another big event - Olivia's Baptism! (Olivia is one of my best friend's -since elementary school- baby girl.) I don't think I've mentioned it yet, but I was asked (and am honored) to be one of Olivia's sponsors/Godmother.

Olivia - wearing the same dress her Mommy was baptised in!

Afterwards we went to Olivia's Grandparent's for a lovely luncheon and enjoyed the Crystal Lake Independance Day parade.

Livie and I at the Parade

Unfortunately I didn't get much sleep this weekend and am totally and completely exhausted. So I'll be trying to get to bed early this week!

Perfect weekend

Drew came home Friday. He's been gone the past few weeks on his family medicine rotation. At his school they like you to return to your home town to do family medicine. Surprisingly the four weeks went by fast, it also helped that we were able to see each other every weekend. I had been looking forward to staying home this weekend, and was not disappointed. I think this is only the second weekend we've been home since March, and we really needed it. As much as I love seeing family and friends, the constant travel can be exhausting.
Saturday morning we woke up, had breakfast, and headed to the pool (our first time this summer). We relaxed, Drew studied for his family medicine exams (which will be the next three days) and I got caught up on my magazines. After a few hours of baking in the sun we had lunch and headed out for errands. I know this sounds silly, but it felt so good, to have nothing to do, and no where to be. We got our library cards, and walked downtown and grabbed some ice cream at Del's. After running our errands we came back and parked ourselves on the couch. I napped while Drew watched the Cubs game. This is something we used to do all the time, when we first started dating, but we are often too busy to do now. I know it is lazy but I seriously loved those Saturday when he would watch the game and I would take a nap with my head in his lap. We had a relaxing dinner and just hung out for the rest of the night. Today was similar but I did get a few things done (cleaned, grocery shopped and went to church) and ended the evening with nice stroll outside. We walked through a relatively new subdivision and "oohed" and "ahhed" at the beautiful homes (and talked about how someday we would have a home of our own).
This weekend was so simple, yet so wonderful. I can honestly say I feel refreshed and (as ready as I will ever be) to return to work tomorrow. It is also fabulous to have my husband home. Oh, how I missed him!

Fun weekend

This weekend was a lot of play and very little productiveness. On Friday I went out on the town to celebrate my friend Shannon’s thirtieth birthday. Although we’ve lived in Springfield for over a year and a half and I had yet to go out downtown. I found out that Springfield actually has quite the nightlife. We went to several bars each of which were unique and entertaining. I had more than my share of shots and martinis and definitely had a good time! Shannon is also the mother to a one-month-old incredibly adorable baby boy and her husband is currently serving in Afghanistan. Drew spent the night babysitting and hanging out with Shannon's little guy. This was the sight we came home to…
Drew and I stayed the night so that we (and I mean Drew) could get up with the baby during the night so that Shannon could actually sleep after a night of drinking. How great is my husband?
Saturday morning we headed to Peoria for a wedding of Drew’s college friend. It was another beautiful and fun wedding, and we spent another evening dancing the night away.
Then today we got to go to my favorite place ever… the Ice Cream Shack! It is a little place, kind of in the ghetto of Peoria, but it the best soft serve ice cream and blizzard combinations (smores, banana cookie, strawberry shortcake and more). I absolutely LOVE soft serve ice cream! When I went to school in Peoria I seriously went there multiple times a week even though it was at the complete opposite side of town as campus. And although I am a bit embarrassed to admit it, I often bought two treats... one for now and one to freeze for later!Today I was able to enjoy one of my favorites – a strawberry shortcake wizard! Mmmm!
Also, I know I haven't posted much on medical school lately I just haven't gotten around to it - I want to post about loans during residency and about the residency match process. So hopefully I can get to those this week.