HO2-- WEEK 1

4 June 2011

This week..

-- T and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary! We just had a lazy day together but it was perfect. He is awesome and keeps making the drive to spend the weekend in Omaha with me (even though I'm working long hours each day). We will probably take a weekend trip sometime next month with the excuse that it's to celebrate our anniversary.. we love an excuse to travel! I am so grateful that T is my spouse and we have so much fun together! Life is wild but we're having fun on this journey together! We are looking forward to a trip we have planned this fall - another cruise! Are you surprised? We're totally addicted and super excited to cruise on another new ship. I feel like a slacker this year since I didn't write some mushy tribute on our actual anniversary -- but time with T always trumps sitting on the laptop blogging! Sorry folks!
-- I've been working in the ICUs at UNMC. I was pleasantly surprised that every patient wasn't like this parody blog, because sometimes the hospital can feel that way. I like the acuity of the medicine in the ICU but it definitely has stressful moments! I'm doing my best to approach this month like a marathon not a sprint.. and thankfully I'm working with some of my favorite people! We work either 12hr or 24+4 hour shifts so the days can be long. If we work the 28hr shifts and then have the second day off afterwards to catch up on sleep - so I'm planning on napping outdoors one of these days so I at least feel the sun a few times this month. I've got this figured out!

xo,
Krista

Fourth Anniversary

My schedule is pretty crazy right now, but I can't help but grab a few free seconds to publicly say Happy Four Years to my amazing husband.

When T and I said "I do" four years ago, I knew that we would have fun and that he would do his best to support me through my medical training. But I had no idea the magnitude of either of those things. There is no way to accurately document the pure joy T and I have experienced in our time together. We have incredible happiness with even the ordinary moments of our life. There is no chance that I could have survived medical school without his constant love, understanding, and unconditional support. I feel incredibly blessed that he took a chance on me and I thank God everyday for him. 

Here's to many more years sweety! Thanks for showing me the world, supporting me when I have weak moments, and helping me to become the best version of myself. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.

xo,
Krista

M3-- WEEK FORTY NINE

Have you noticed how close the numbers are getting to 52 weeks? This year is nearly over! Crazy!

This week was completely consumed by school and recovering from 13 straight days of work so I don't have anything fun to write about. Sorry! We even had an anniversary (that we ended up not properly celebrating because there are not enough hours in the week..) For nostalgia's sake, here are the posts from our first anniversary and our second anniversary! I wish I would have had a chance to write another post on our anniversary but I just couldn't make it happen. T spoiled me with an amazing bag for our anniversary - he is the best! He has been totally spoiling me by grilling dinner for us every night and maintaing the house/chores. He is truly the best! I am still crazy about this goofball and thank God for him every day!

For the remainder of this post I'm going to try to document the reality of this week so I can laugh about it some day :) I'll try not to sound too whiney!

The theme of this past week was "catch up on sleep". Having call last Sunday sorta threw off the rest of my week.. My call night ended up being pretty busy - busy enough that I had lunch at 2:00pm, a yogurt at 5pm, then a banana and poptart at midnight (--> no dinner). After midnight, I didn't eat again until 2:30pm the next day. But, I actually got a solid 3.5 hours of sleep before morning rounds! (Thanks to nice residents that let me sleep!) The call rooms are pretty nice with a bed, desk, computer, and private bathroom w/ shower. In the morning I chose showering over breakfast and rounds were slower than usual because we switched to a new team of docs so we hustled right from rounds to our 1:00pm lecture (hence the no food until 2:30pm). When lecture ended at 2:00 I went straight home and made my self sleep for a couple house so I could wake up and study for the next day's lecture! Life of a medical school student!

The actual call day was super busy running back and forth from our work room to the ER to patient's rooms to codes, etc. But it really wasn't too bad! In fact, I had a hard time making myself go to sleep overnight except I knew I would regret it the rest of the week if I didn't. T/W/R/F were still all a little rough.. The work we were doing this week wasn't terribly exciting so I noticed my sleepiness more than I may have other days. I was 5/5 on falling asleep while studying in the evening after work ;) For the record, I am a terrible napper. I wake up totally discombobulated and without an appetite for hours. So, not only was I still behind on sleep but then I wasn't hungry to eat dinner until bedtime.. I was just an all-around hot mess this week :) Once I even woke and told T that I needed to go round on my patients soon.. totally incorrect!

The call room which had an awesome view of the helipad for this creeper student :)
btw - helicopters are ridiculously loud when they fly that low!

Yesterday I went in for rounds but I had today completely off! *insert sigh of relief* It felt super nice to sleep in a few extra hours this morning before church compared to my normal alarm time. I think I'm finally back in a normal rhythm! Now I just need to get motivated to study crazy-hard these last three weeks of the rotation so that I can score well on my final tests! I gotta wrap this up post so that we can grab a few minutes with friends at a neighborhood BBQ before the reality of Monday hits! Love ya!

xo,
Krista

M2 SUMMER- WEEK FIVE

I had a super exciting week! Did you?

I studied at my desk! In the kitchen! In the living room! While I babysat (a sleeping baby)! While cooking dinner! Outside in the sun! And on the elliptical! There was so much variety in my week! (Please say you've picked up on the sarcasm...) I did have a dentist appointment and was re-certified in basic life support! Okay... my week really was dull...

But in all seriousness, I am thankful that I had the stamina to study as many hours as I did over these past five weeks. I didn't expect to study this much-- I really thought only the people who wanted to ace the test needed to put in those type of hours. But I learned that I am capable of even more than I realized. I love when life teaches you those lessons :) I still remember in college thinking, "there is no way that I can do any more than I did last semester!" And every semester, I was able to add more to my plate and still get it done. I won't feel comfortable with this test until I get my grade back in a month.. but I do feel like I gave it my best. I prepared in the best way I knew.. so hopefully it's enough!

ANNIVERSARY
It was so nice this week to have T back home! Our anniversary was this past Tuesday, so we snuck a quick lunch together at Jones Bros Cupcakes. [You can see my anniversary posts here: year one & year two] Lunch was our only option because on Tuesdays T goes straight from work to class until 10pm-- so lunch it was!  I had their Southwest salad and T ordered this month's special Buffalo Chicken Waffle Fries. delicious! We are planning a more serious celebration after my exam tomorrow.

DAY BEFORE THE TEST
I've had quite a few people ask how I am spending my day before my test.. I didn't originally want to take my exam on a Monday. But when I called to schedule, Saturday was already full and they had some days blocked out for other tests.. so Monday was sort of chosen for me. Some of my friends have another week or two until they take their exams.. and I'm not gonna lie.. it makes me nervous to think of being compared to people with that additional preparation. BUT, I am thrilled that since I scheduled my test on the early end I get a few weeks to just catch up with T! I think I would go crazy if I didn't get a break before starting next year on July 1. Anyway.. that was off topic.. back to today..  Today I am spending the day like I do every other Sunday. It's pretty glorious to have a day of rest before my exam! I plan to get to bed at a decent time, pack my lunch & snacks, and plan my post-test errands. You should see everything on my to-do list! We also spent a few minutes hanging with friends this evening. I can't get over how many people have reached out to us today with their support. We are surrounded by the best people!

I dare someone to try this next week more than me ;) Post-test highs are pretty spectacular!

xo,

Krista

PS- I think I am going to try to start a series about past events.. just a little way to make myself journal about big things like college, our wedding day.. who knows what else. No guarantee that will happen.. but just wanted to give you a heads up in case I get motivated :)

Our Second Anniversary

 I couldn't let our anniversary pass without at least doing a little something on the blog!

Last year I wrote this mushy post about how I am the luckiest girl in the world.. and I still feel the exact same way. T is the most amazing husband I could have asked for and he brings so much joy to my life. He is a constant support to me and he's made these crazy years of medical school so much more enjoyable. He reminds me that there is more to life than books and research articles.. and I really appreciate that perspective. I know that not everyone gets to meet their person so early in life-- I am so thankful that we've been able to spend so many awesome years together (nine this November!). Thank you babe for making life so much sweeter. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us!

Week 42

ANNIVERSARY
We went to Blue  for dinner and purposefully went early so we could get the happy hour prices. We ate edamame, mango crab rangoon, pork gyoza, and the grilled chicken lettuce wraps. so good. and so cheap!

Then we went home, exchanged gifts, and ate some of the top tier of our wedding cake.

 

T loves his black cherry & cream soda

Flowers from T

Cake: before

Cake: after      

BASEMENT

Here is our basement as of about four minutes ago:

Why do we have a dangly switch plate? Well.. maybe you can tell from this picture (or maybe not lol) but our dimmer switch is too tall for the box. Whoops. So we need to figure out that little detail. 

I spent quite a few hours this week working on the trim along the stairs... cutting, gluing, caulking... you know the drill. Sadly, I have those pictures on a different computer so I will have to post those another time. Boy these little projects take time! I've listened to many hours of Property Brothers while I've been working. It is my new favorite show.

**UPDATE**

Here are a few before & afters of the trim in the basement:

   

  

 

LIFE

Other than that, I am still adjusting to all this time off. I keep thinking I just have a week or so off, like during Spring Break, so I am constantly working in a panic. I don't know what I am going to do with the rest of the summer! I'm sure I will find things to keep busy :) Hopefully I can find things that are less labor-intensive (and less expensive!)

We've also been spending time at the pool working on our tans so we can make it through this next winter without dangerously reflecting light off our pale skin:

Our First Anniversary

One year ago today, I married my favorite man in the world (sorry dad!). I've had trouble writing this post because I want to tell you how intelligent he is, how he is always making me laugh, how he is so thoughtful, how he keeps our house clean, how he continually works so hard, how he is willing to cook, how he constantly supports me, how he prays for others often, how he is always striving for more, how he will watch "my shows" on TV (I think he secretly likes them too), how he is brave, adventurous, relaxed, and a fantastic balance for me. This post is hard to write not because I am searching for things to say, but because I am searching for how to say them without vomiting text all over this blog (whoops. looks like I already did that).

Right after we got engaged, T and I started passing journal back and forth (he was living in Omaha while I was in Lincoln). One of the first things I wrote is what I titled "The top TEN reasons I want to marry Travis." I remember sitting down and, again, word voimitting the first things that came to my mind. I think they still hold very true. Here are a few of my favorites:

- "His laugh and smile are contagious."

- "He is incredibly selfless. Travis puts everyone he loves before himself. His wants and needs in life always take a             backseat to others."

- "His love is genuine, unconditional, and deep."

- "He is constantly thinking about the future and how he can make our life brilliant."

- "He protects and cherishes the people he cares about. Travis would never let anything happen to me, whether he can      control it or not. He is extremely loyal and would never do anything to hurt or betray me."

- "In situations where I stress, he is relaxed. In times where I am over-optimistic, he is real."

In this first year, we have spent more time laughing and smiling than I ever thought possible. I expected frustrated arguments, moments of selfishness, and disagreements on goals as we got used to living together. However, we've experienced few of those things. 

We were able to stick to the goals we set for this year. Our budget has only been blown a few times (T would probably say more than a few, lol). We were able to travel to see family and of course, completely enjoyed our honeymoon. 

Labadee, Haiti -- June 2011

We were confident in our decision to get married last year as we danced to "When I Say I Do" by Matthew West and we haven't regretted that decision one bit:

"And I have never been so sure of anything before, 

Like I am in this moment here with you 

Now for better or for worse are so much more than only words

And I pray everyday will be the proof 

That I mean what I say when I say I do

Yeah I mean what I say when I say I do"

One of my favorite things T said to me on our wedding day was during our ring ceremony in front of our nearest and dearest. He said:

"To know that I have you in my corner, I feel like I can take on the world. I love you Krista, I always have and I always will."

 I have not wiped this silly grin off my face since I married this amazing man.

So when people ask, "How has the first year been?" I reply, "Incredible! Fantastic! I have a loving husband who supports me everyday as I am gone at school studying, who doesn't have to be asked to do the laundry, who tells me I am beautiful, who isn't afraid to try new things, who loves to laugh, who is always working hard, who loves God, and who makes me happy each and every day. I can only pray that others can find a partner who makes them feel as delighted as I feel right now." 

I look forward to many, many more wonderful years. Just as Sinatra said, "the best is yet to come!"

  

[sorry about so many smoochy pictures!]

For more from our wedding, check these out: 6 month anniversary, wedding photo proofs, wedding video highlights

6 days left of the semester!

I typically start writing a blog post by uploading the week's pictures from my camera. I'll do the same this week but I will warn you now, this week was pretty lame and the pictures are pretty random...

• We've been drinking lots of hot chocolate lately. When we feel like fancying it up, we make it with milk and froth some with the hand mixer for the top

• Our "love fern" bromeliad is dying. good news? We have instructions on how to remove the "buds" and grow more plants

• Due to the snow, we made our 0.5 anniversary steaks indoor, on our cast-iron grill pan. Should have trusted my gut that a marinade would be bad news indoor. Good news? Our smoke detectors ran out of batteries this week so we didn't set of any alarms

• This picture just makes me laugh. We made homemade bread tonight and I asked Travis to slice it. This is the scene I came back to:

Hey! Half the bread stayed on the cutting sheet!

• I realized I haven't given an update on school in a while. Our class is "cellular processes". For example, this week we studied the immune system (red blood cells, white blood cells, T cells, B cells, Natural Killer cells, the list goes on) and how fats are metabolized. In past weeks we have studied genetics, metabolism, cartilage, bone, cell signaling, and cancer. This class has been hit or miss for me. Many lectures I find fascinating and the others are a total bore. One of my favorite lectures was about genetics, and specifically teratogens. Teratogens are anything that can disrupt pregnancy or cause the fetus problems. Its interesting how some medications are always dangerous while others are safe after so many weeks, etc. It was probably one of my favorite lectures because it felt very applicable to clinical medicine-- you need to think carefully before you prescribe medications to pregnant women! Friday afternoon is our last test for this class-- then it is Christmas break! How we will spend it? Relaxing, duh.

Six Months of Bliss

Today is exactly six months since we tied the knot! As an 0.5 anniversary gift (okay, probably just a coincidence) we got to see our wedding photos yesterday! We added a link on the side of the blog if you want to browse through all four hundred and twenty five !!

Yes, we really did take pictures jumping on the bed

If you'd rather have an abbreviated view, I took screen shots of a few favorites:

        [disclaimer, this is in NO way a recap of the day.. just a hodgepodge of pictures that stood out for one reason or another] 

Fun fact: we took this picture in a cemetery

We expected some fabulous pictures from the shoot in Lauritzen Gardens. Isn't that a major purpose of a wedding photographer? To take pictures of the bride + groom? However, some of our favorites from the day are the candids of our family our photographer snagged:

There are some great candids from the reception as well:

The story behind this picture: Travis loves raspberry-jelly-filled doughnuts almost as much as he loves me, so after we cut the cake, we shared a heart-shaped doughnut :)

Mother-son dance!

Father-daughter dance!

A rare shot of Travis dancing! HEEEEY macarena!

We have thoroughly enjoyed these last 6 months and are excited for many, many months to come! Tonight, we are using our 0.5 anniversary as an excuse to: (1) not do too much house work (2) eat those Omaha Steak filets we have in the freezer and (3) watch a Christmas Devotional! (you can find out more here)

Have a fabulous week!