Passed!

I passed my board exam! whew - what a relief!!  Only a few more things until I graduate :-)  Mostly just finishing up patient procedures and several presentations to give, some in front of the whole school and some in front of a panel of faculty members - either way, I'm not looking forward to any of those!

I had a fun week working with Andrew in Oxford.  We tried to fit a little furniture shopping in, but no luck.  We moved our breakfast table and chairs and the coffee table in.  We also assembled the master bedroom bed and the guest bedroom bed and moved two dressers in.  Andrew's closet is full of his clothes and the master bed is made-up and ready to sleep in.  I just wish I was up there to enjoy it with him! 

I also can't wait for my little nephew, Sam, to arrive!  Only about 15 more weeks, I think.  I went into Belk to buy a gift for our friend Jennifer's baby shower, and ended up getting FOUR outfits for little Sam.  I couldn't resist...I know it'll probably just keep getting worse from here.  Darcy is doing great - please keep praying for a healthy baby!

Spring Break

This is my LAST Spring Break ever!!  Hard to believe, but it's exciting, too, because that means I'll be working in the real world before long! 

I seem to be getting worse and worse at this blogging thing.  I feel like every post is about why I haven't blogged lately.  If you've been reading my blog, you know my life's a little a lot chaotic right now.  I can barely manage to respond to an email most days, much less think up a blog post.  I will keep y'all updated on things as they happen, though, no worries!

I've been working with Andrew this week.  I love getting to see the clinic run and getting a good glimpse of the "real" world.  Plus I love getting to see my husband EVERY single day!!  I don't get that very often.

I came home to Jackson yesterday to work on my Grand Rounds presentation.  As part of my graduation requirements, I'll have to give a presentation in front of the WHOLE school, students and faculty members.  My turn is in 2 weeks!  eek!  I've decided to do my presentation on Sickle Cell Disease in Pediatric Patients and about the dental considerations when treating these patients.  I'm sure y'all aren't very interested in my research, haha!, but maybe you are interested in what I've been up to lately - and this is it!

Yesterday, I went to Sickle Cell Clinic day at the Children's Cancer Clinic (part of Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital).  It was so great to get to talk to all of the physicians, nurses, patients, and parents.  I loved every second of it and learned a lot of stuff that I'll be able to use in my presentation. 

Both of my parents get to interact with these sickle cell kids a good bit, so that sparked my interest in this.  My mom works with them from the pharmacy side of things, and my dad works with them by doing ultrasounds of their brains to see if they are at risk for stroke.  Yes, stroke...did you know KIDS can have STROKES?  Sadly, most people aren't aware that children can have strokes and usually they are misdiagnosed as the child just being "late" or slower to develop instead of addressing the stroke as the cause. 

On a happier note, we have been trying to look at some furniture for our new house.  I am really excited but it's hard to make all of these decisions!  I won't buy this kind of stuff for a really long time, if ever again.  I just want to pick the right things.  Also, trying to find time for us BOTH to go look at furniture is difficult.  We are trying to make good use of our time together this week, but most stores close by 6:00 or they are out of town.  Hopefully we'll have some luck soon!

Here's a picture of our new house:

I'm heading back up to Oxford today and hope to get some more moving/unpacking accomplished this week.  The goal is to be staying/sleeping there by the end of the week.  We'll be working again this Saturday, and then get to go to a baby shower for our sweet friends, Michael and Jennifer, and their little baby boy on the way :-)

Finally Finished!

After lots of studying and 2 days of testing, my board exam is finally over!!  I don't believe the day has finally come (I think, and hope!) that I've just taken my *last* test for the past 21 years.  I still have a few class projects to do, and I'll still have to tackle my clinical boards in March....but I consider this a MAJOR hurdle I finally jumped over, and I am so relieved. Whew! 

Well I put a lot of things on hold, so here's a few pictures of the few things we've been up to lately (besides studying, of course!)...

My little Pumpkin for Halloween

"Do I have to keep taking pictures??"

tired of modeling her pumpkin shirt...

Izzy's new cousin - MOE!!

I'm in love.  He's so adorable.  and fluffy!

at the Ole Miss/Auburn Game

I made Mom's cheeseball into a pumpkin! [found the idea on someone's blog, but can't remember where, if you do, send me the link!]

at the "Random Rebels" tent :-)

fun friends in the grove!

glad I got to see Lindsey before the game!

watching the 3-D show (?) at halftime 

The Oxford trip was a good little break before the exam...glad it's over now!

Weekend Fun

This past weekend was awesome, relaxing, and MUCH needed.  Last week I was doing a rotation for school at a community health clinic in Canton.  I enjoyed being away from the school for a week and got a good bit of studying in, too, which was also much-needed.  We went to Oxford on Friday and had a get-together with our Sunday School class at Nagoya.  The food was delicious and it was fun hanging out with some of our Oxford friends. 

Saturday we ran errands and stuff all day and ate dinner with Darcy and Mrs. Ross at Papitos (Dr. Ross is in Kazakhstan again).  Then we went out to our friends' cabin to hang out and watch the Ole Miss-Alabama game, which of course didn't end so well, but we had fun seeing everyone! 

Sunday we headed to Memphis and enjoyed brunch at Majestic Grill.  By pure chance, I ran into my best friend Anna and her fiance Blake there!  I hardly ever get to see Anna and Blake so it made my day to run into them.  After the.most.amazing.brunch.ever. we walked over to the Orpheum Theater to see WICKED!!  It was such a good show!!  I was a little worried that it wouldn't live up to all the hype I've heard about it over the years - but it was better that I even expected.  

After the show, we went over to my sister's to see her NEW house in Midtown.  It is SO cute!!  She always decorates things so well, so of course it looked like such a fun place to live.  We ate dinner at Soul Fish and it, too, was delicious! 

I take my board exam on Nov. 8 and 9, which is only 19 days and 16 hours away, but who's counting?!?! Please pray that I pass it and only have to go through this misery this one time.  

Sorry for a boring post, but I thought I should throw it a little something besides the show-us-your-life posts on Fridays :-)  Our life is complete chaos right now, but we remind ourselves that this is only a "season" and things should settle back down soon (I hope!).

2nd Answers

What motivates you? You are a very driven girl who gets a lot done at school, stays organized, etc. What keeps you going?

You might be shocked to find out that I'm much more of a procrastinator than you think. It really bothers me. I honestly go through phases or cycles of productivity and procrastination. For example, last weekend I sat on my butt and did nothing all weekend, while in just one day so far this weekend, I've cleaned out our guest bedroom, taken down the bed, moved the mattress and box-spring, and taped off and painted the guest bedroom and guest bathroom. It's usually one extreme or the other!! I guess what keeps me going is that I make LOTS of LISTS. To-do lists, project lists, grocery lists, cleaning lists, school requirements lists…you get the idea. As far as staying organized, that varies. My calendar/planner is just stuffed with papers and sticky notes, so it's not doing so well on the organization right now (I should put this on the "to-do list…). But I do love a good Excel spreadsheet. That's how I kept up with wedding addresses, my school requirements, etc. I also own a label maker – are you surprised? Ha!

As far as motivation goes for dental school, my main motivation is FINISH! I try to remind myself that every day that I am there is one more day down to graduation. While I'm there, I run around non-stop (usually). I just try to fit as much as I can in one day. I figure that if I'm there every day, and I'm working hard every day, then when it comes down to the end, hopefully they'll be a little more understanding if I'm lacking in something (requirement-wise).

I'd be lying if I didn't say that Andrew is a HUGE motivation. I'm very fortunate to have someone that's "been there, done that," but he knows just how to encourage me. I'm motivated to work hard at school and at home because I know just how hard he is working at his job every day. He always tells me, "your job is to finish school." I know he's made a lot of changes in his life-plans since he's met me and married me. He never imagined he'd (a) be married right now, (b) still be living in Jackson, and (c) be working at a public health clinic. We both love where we are in our life right now and the changes that brought us both here, and we're excited about our next phase, too, which is why we are working sooo hard right now.

Whenever I feel like I'm not being very productive, I read Proverbs 31. That lady is incredible. She encourages me to be a better student, wife, homemaker, Christian, business woman, crafter, teacher, philanthropist, cook, and so much more. However, it is important to remember that her strength and dignity do not come from her amazing achievements, but as a result of her reverence for God. Obviously I'll never be able to imitate her in every way, but she does inspire me to make the most of every day and to work hard and do my best!

• A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
  
• Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
  
• She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
  
• She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
  
• She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
  
• She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
  
• She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
  
• She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
  
• She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
  
• In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
  
• She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
  
• When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
  
• She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
  
• Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
  
• She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
  
• She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
  
• She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
  
• She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
  
• Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
  
• "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
  
• Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
  
• Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
  

How do you feel about opening a practice with Andrew? Do you plan to work 5 days a week, 3 days, or something else?

I am so excited about this! I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with my husband one day. I feel that we have the perfect relationship for this. It is frustrating, though, that many people seem to believe spouses working together is the perfect solution for disaster. I think everyone's relationship is vastly different. I can think of many couples that this arrangement wouldn't work for, but I can think of many others that have proven it can work wonderfully. We've never thought otherwise.

I definitely plan on working full-time, 5 days a week, until we start having children. I don't see myself ever being strictly a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, but really more of a combination of both. I have some ideas on how that might work, but I'm sure it'll take a few different arrangements until I find the perfect one. My ideal day would be to be able to take the kids to school, go in to work, and then leave early enough in the afternoon to be able to pick them up. Maybe an 8:00-2:00 day or something like that. We'll just have to wait and see how that works out. I mean, let's not get ahead of ourselves, that's going to be a while…

Do you think you'll miss Jackson when you move?

Yes and no. I'll miss it in the sense of it's where I grew up, went to elementary school through high school, went to dental school, met my husband, had my first (and only) solo-apartment, and so on. But I have so many fond memories in Oxford, too, and I so look forward to moving there, starting a business, and raising a family. My parents plan on retiring one day in Oxford, and my sister Kelly will likely stay in Memphis for a little while after nursing school, so there's really not much left for us here in Jackson. The only family we have here are 1 set of cousins. I'll miss some of the people in Jackson, but I won't be missing the crime and the pot-holes! Ha!

That's all of the questions that I've received so far, so keep 'em coming...

Official Protocol

I'm trying to learn all about the steps for obtaining a marriage license and changing my name. I guess I didn't realize how much there is to do for that kind of stuff. Today, Andrew and I went to have our blood work done...not fun. I am the biggest baby when it comes to having my blood drawn. I survived and acted like a big girl. Next step is tomorrow when we go to apply for our marriage license (woo hoo!). Then we have to go get our lab results and then we go back to the courthouse to pick everything up. Whew!

Countdown = 2 weeks left :-)

This has been such a LONG week at school. It has been extra-full of useless and unnecessary lab work. For example, yesterday I bent orthodontic wires for 4 hours in the morning and then attempted to make an "occlusal appliance" in the afternoon - I mean, evening, because I didn't leave until after 6, and it still doesn't work. The beauty of it all is that we'll never make one again. ever. so pointless.

On the UPSIDE though, this weekend is my bachelorette party! We're going to meet up in Oxford Friday night to have some mexican food and margaritas! Then Saturday we're heading to Memphis. All my wonderful friends are spread out all over the country, literally, so I can't wait to see them in one place and hang out and have fun before the big day!

Oh Baby, Baby!

We have lots to be thankful for right now.

Andrew passed his last (and probably biggest) hurdle of dental school - he passed his CITA clinical board exams with flying colors. He is now nationally and state certified and licensed to be a dentist!! The only thing he has left to do now is finish up all of his graduation requirements at the school...which is no easy task, but I know he'll do it! He has to have all of his case requirements completed by May 8 in order to graduate on May 22. I am so proud of him - he is soooo close!

Kelly found an awesome apartment in Downtown Memphis. She's moving up there immediately after she graduates from Ole Miss on May 9. It's in Peabody Place, a block from Beale Street and less than 5 minutes to the nursing school @ UT-Memphis. I'm very excited for her...and a little envious!

And...we have two friends who are preggers!! One is our long time family friend, and she is due at the end of April. The other is a friend from college and dental school, and she is due in August. I went to a baby shower on Sunday for the family friend, and got a real taste of what all the little booger will need! Seems like a lot of work - but I will say there are a multitude of new-fangled gadgets out there to make new moms' lives a little easier.

The April Baby is a "surprise" and the August baby is a boy! Although Andrew and I are on the "three year absolute minimum plan," I go back and forth over whether I would want to know the sex or keep it a surprise. Most of you who know me probably are surprised that this is even a question for me. You probably assume that I'd definitely find out. But still seems kinda fun to wait it out. Would you want to know? or would you keep it a surprise?

On another note...Izzy is growing up! She is still as cute as can be, and lovey-dovey. I love her to death, but Andrew is obsessed. He's really funny with her, and his favorite line is, "she's just a little baby..." He says this when he spoils her, which is constantly, of course.

The Doctors Ross

One day...only 2 years 3 months and 1 day remaining, but who's counting?! That's when we'll both be dentists! Well the reason I bring this up is first of all, because I'm excited that I'll be marrying a doctor, but also because tonight is MY White Coat Ceremony. Getting our white coats supposedly symbolizes our transition into patient care...aka I'll be seeing patients and actually getting to do what I'll be doing in real life! I'm definitely looking forward to this side of things, although I still have about 3 months before I'm really in the patient clinics. My mom's agreed to be my first patient :-)

On a side note: My sister Kelly is having her first interview for Nursing School today, so say a quick pray for her! Today she's interviewing (actually right this minute) at UT-Memphis. Then she'll be headed back down to Jackson just in time for my white coat ceremony. I can't wait to see her - she hasn't been home in a while!

Also - keep Andrew in your prayers, too! He's in the process of applying for a job. After all, he will need something to keep him busy for the next 2 years while I finish school! Oh - and we'll probably need something to live off of, too. :-) We are very anxious to see what he'll end up doing, but at the same time are trying to enjoy this time by just giving it all up to the Lord to take care of it! He's blessed us greatly so far, so I'm confident He has something planned up His sleeve.