if i were a runner

I'd be in this picture...

but I'm not.

Anchorage's 2012 5k Heart Run. 5,000 people. $200,000. Wow. Awesome, right?! What's just as awesome to me, because I am not a runner, is that Amanda ran the 5k pushing Natalie. I'd like to see any of those boys do that ;) Stephen was the first of the students to cross the finish line, but not first on the WWAMI team. Sorry, Stephen. Your fifty something year old professor had you beat by one minute. Ouch. It was a beautiful day for a race, though, and their team got 6th overall! We got to enjoy a yummy celebratory lunch out with Ben and Amanda after (Wishing you were in town, Whitney, so you and your hubby could have joined! He refused to be the 5th wheel... Though I told him Natalie was available!) So proud of the WWAMI team (and Richard for making the front page of the newspaper!) What a great way to spend your Saturday morning, last Saturday before finals... Good luck this week, WWAMIers! :)

look what i found...

Happy last day of school in your first year of medical school, you.

i love you.

one. more. week.

My friend told me I looked "so bohemian" today, and I decided to take it as a compliment. I was also told I looked like a rock climber. Whether or not that was a compliment I'm still deciding. Today was a busy day spent at work, missing my husband. I think I'm as equally excited for next Friday as he is. I just can't imagine what it will be like to have my husband back again... Oh, wait. I can. And it's wonderful :)

In my "woe is me" state yesterday, I forgot to mention that on Tuesday night I got to watch the bitter sweet end of WWAMI volleyball. All year Stephen and some of his classmates have been playing inter-mural volleyball. I used to watch Stephen play volleyball all the time in Oregon, so it was fun to see him playing again :) Plus, Mike was always rockin' some sexy outfit and I got to chit chat with the wives. They made it to the final four! ("Goooooooo WWAMERS!" said in Mike's incredibly loud deep voice) But the season came to an end... And team mom was there with celebratory Capri Suns! Though I wouldn't let them have one 'til they cooperated and took a photo! Who knew brainiacs were so difficult...

it's been one of those days

Where you apply your mascara in the car.
Where your "big zit" became a "huge zit" overnight.
Where you don't like what you're wearing because you chose to stand in the shower for thirty minutes instead of in front of a mirror.
Where you don't get to call your mom.
Where there are dark circles under you eyes, even after eight hours of sleep.
Where everything you put in your hand finds its way to the floor.
And then you trip on it.
Where a dog pees in your dressing room.
Where every girl you see is skinnier and prettier than you.
Where "I'm going to leave work early today" turns into "Hey hunny, I'm going to be late!"
Where you crawl onto the kitchen counter and cry.
And then finally give up and eat smoothies for dinner.
Ya. It's been one of those days.

prairie chicken

Dropped husband off at school (worst part of my days off), put in an hour at the gym, treated myself to a nice long, hot shower, crawled back into bed with a class of chocolate milk and a good book, and basked under an open window with the sun streaming in. Not a bad start to my day, if I do say so myself. And then I accidentally fell asleep. For two hours. Oops. Sorry, I'm not sorry. It was perfect. I woke up to the mailman ringing the doorbell (yes, I would have stayed asleep for another hour had that package fit in our mailbox). And he had THIS to deliver...

What can I say? I got SWAG. And it's because I got SWAG, I know I will not die as a prairie chicken. ...Say what? There's a Native American story about an eagle... His egg was found by a man, who put it in the nest of a prairie chicken. The eagle hatched with the chicks and grew up with them. He spent his whole life thinking he was a prairie chicken, scratching the ground for food, flying only a few feet in the air, clucking... One day he saw beautiful bird way up in the sky soaring "with a graceful majesty on the powerful wind currents with scarcely a beat of it's strong golden wings". The eagle asked his neighbor what kind of bird it was, and the chicken told him it was an eagle, the chief of all birds. He then told the eagle not to give it a second thought, he could never be like him. So the eagle never gave it a second thought, and died thinking he was a prairie chicken.

Sometimes our circumstances cause us to settle for second best in life. But I know that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). I know that God has a plan for me that is far greater and better than any plan I could create on my own. And I know that I don't have to, nor will I, settle for mediocrity. I have been saved with amazing grace.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit." (John 15:5) And man, oh man, do I like strawberries...

as of late

Thursday night we got to attend a yummy Mexican dinner with Stephen's WWAMI class. I know Stephen gets to see them every day, but I love the opportunities to talk with everyone. Especially love when Stephen's classmates have wives and babies ;) We weren't there just for the yummy buffet or my social hour, though... It was an award dinner! The John Syren award is in honor of a once WWAMI student who died in his third year of medical school. He was always really positive with his classmates, despite the mounds of textbooks and papers they all had piling up on their desks. And in his honor each year since, they award one WWAMI student with the John Syren award. Hence, the yummy buffet dinner. This year the award went to Mr. Mike Petrovich! A good friend of Stephen's and an amazing volleyball player ;) Though I just go to the games to see his outfits...

I'm a little worried Mike might try and steal my husband away... After dinner, while the sun was still out and actually hot! Yes, hot! We went and got some froyo with Dallin and Whitney, chit chatting away, enjoying the night away from studying and work.

Over the weekend I've gotten to see Stephen lots, which I always love :) My 7-4 schedule allows for some extra Stephen time, so the 5 am alarm is fine by me. And in that Stephen time we've enjoyed reading together, watching movies, cooking and baking, and walking to Starbucks in the sunshine...

I love dating my husband :)

Tonight, after work, we spent some time eating waayyy too much banana bread with Ben and Amanda, playing Balderdash and spoons. And, for the record, I didn't lose. I didn't win, either. But still...

some monday meditation

How corny is it to put song lyrics in my blog post? Because it's about to happen.

"Got a baby girl sleeping in my bedroom, and her mama laughing in my arms. There's the sound of rain on the rooftop, and the game's about to start. I don't really know how I got here, but I'm sure glad that I did. And it's crazy to think that one little thing could have changed all of it. Maybe it didn't turn out like I planned. Maybe that's why I'm such, such a lucky man.
For every stoplight I didn't make, every chance I did or I didn't take. All the nights I went too far, all the girls that broke my heart. All the doors that I had to close, all the things I knew but I didn't know. Thank God for all I missed, 'cause it led me here to this.
Like the girl that I loved in high school who said she could do better, or that college I wanted to go to 'til I got that letter. All the fights and the tears and the heartache I thought I'd never get through, and the moment I almost gave up, all lead me here to you. I didn't understand it way back when, but sitting here right now, it all makes perfect sense. 
So nothing's a mistake. For every stoplight I didn't make, every chance I did or I didn't take. All the nights I went too far, all the girls that broke my heart. All the doors that I had to close, all the things I knew but I didn't know. Thank God for all I missed, 'cause it led me here to this."


So, I'm not a guy, and I can't recall a girl every breaking my heart, but I heard this song in the car today on my way home from the gym (had to say it), and I just couldn't stop smiling :) Nothing is a mistake. What an obscure thought! And it's stated right in the scripture! In 1 Corinthians, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him". And in Jeremiah, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".
I've been having "Oh my gosh! We're MARRIED!" moments recently with Stephen. I get so caught up in our every day routine and schedule that I forget sometimes. But after a long day at work, waiting in the car outside of school to pick him up, I'll see him walking from the building... And in that silence of watching him, it hits me! He's mine. We're married. WE'RE MARRIED! And then I get all mushy and giddy like it's our wedding day and can't keep my hands off him. 
But it's in those moments that this song, and those verses ring so true to me. Nothing is a mistake. I'm supposed to here. He's supposed to be mine. This is the life God has made for me. It's so easy to get down and disappointed when things don't go your way. But why would you want to go your way, when His way is so much better? If His way leaves me head over heels giddy in love and MARRIED to my husband, then fine by me. I'm jumping aboard the Jesus train in full belief that everything happens for a reason. I'm so very happy that what I had planned and what I thought I wanted oh so long ago, never worked out. Because today I am here, and I am happy. 

Stephen's title: "We're going to Disneyland! Not really. But we're doing lots of other fun stuff."

Sunday used to mean church, now it means work. I do miss our church family (spending Easter in Fairbanks at Friends was a huge tease). Worship tunes in the car, instead, and many prayers to Jesus for the strength to get through the work day.

We have a whole summer of church to look forward to, though! And a whole summer off work! Is this what teachers feel like near spring time? Maybe I'm in the wrong profession... Stephen finishes his first year on May 4th with a dinner/celebration to kick start our summer. I'm guessing this med school freshman has some major senioritis. I know he's really looking forward to some time away from the textbooks. As he said, this is his last summer off before he retires. Wow. So why not make it a summer to remember?!

Once Stephen is done with school, we're packing up our belongings, driving a U-Haul to Seward with Ben and Amanda, putting our life on a barge and shipping it off to Seattle! While we turn the other direction and drive to Fairbanks! We'll get to spend the weekend there (and go to church again!) then get on a plane heading to California where this beautiful couple and their beautiful baby boy will be awaiting us.

I know. He's perfect. No point in ever having a "who's kid is cuter competition" with these two. They win. Anywhoo.... We get to spend a week, two weeks?! (We really don't know yet!) with them in their new home in sunny California! I believe Stephanie's to-do list consisted of horseback riding, pool everyday, shopping, beach, hiking, fire pits, and playing with Triston. Can you say best day ever?! We're both really looking forward to seeing these two! Love our brother and sister :)

Next stop? Delta Junction. It's a small town in Alaska about two hours south of Fairbanks. I apparently drove through it once on our way to visit Sam in Valdez, but I don't remember much besides the grocery store. You can see where my priorities lie. Stephen has an internship, of sorts, to do this summer and that's where we'll be doing it. He gets to work five days a week with a local doctor, getting to do all sorts of hands on stuff and learning lots. He also has to do a health related community project - find a missing need in the community and implement it. (We just might be reaching out to you guys for help and ideas later.) June 1st to July 1st. And while he's doing that, I'll be off doing who knows what. Pinterest projects. Reading books like crazy. Working out seven days a week and getting so unbelievably ripped you won't recognize me. Or practicing for my non-working, doctor's wife, housewife days. Ok. Probably all of the above. Minus the one that requires me to work out.

After Delta Junction we're traveling to Alabama to spend some time with sweet aunt Sheila, uncle Lew, our cousins, Aleks and Catherine, and Grandma and Grandpa Wall. Alabama in July? I don't know that I'm ready for that kind of heat! Really looking forward to this adventure, though :) We don't get to see them very often and we've got a lot of fun stuff planned for the trip! Uncle Lew is a cardiologist and Stephen will get to work with him, learning more and getting to do more than he ever would with anyone else. When work is done, we'll be making beach trips to their Florida condo, maybe a shopping trip to Atlanta, and sounds like a tourist trip to New Orleans! Somewhere among all the craziness, we'll also get to celebrate our one year anniversary! Cheers to us! :)

After a couple weeks in the south, we'll be flying to Idaho! Home, sweet, home. There, we'll get to spend a couple weeks with my parents, Ashley, and sweet baby Harper! A camping trip to Jackson, a hike up Table Rock, a float through String Lake, lazy nights watching Friends, lunch at Bagelry... Can't beat that! Stephen hasn't gotten to see my family since November, and he has yet to meet Harper! Needless to say, it's going to be "SO FUN!" ...In the words of my mother ;)

Harper and Triston aren't related. And I for one think they would make cute babies. Just sayin'.

In Idaho, we'll load up our car (did I mention I have to pack for the whole summer in two suitcases? One would be ideal, but it's far too unrealistic. I may or may not be starting to panic already. ...I may.) and drive over to Oregon! The first time we made this trek we were going to my house for Memorial Day weekend. I had convinced Stephen is was about a 9 hour drive. It's not. But he came and met my parents for the (sorta) first time and got to see where I grew up. It was on that trip that he first told me he loved me :) I immediately started planning our wedding. No, but really. Anyway... In Oregon we will find Erica and Melissa and the Winders and Ali and John and all of Delta Chi and Kappa Kappa Gamma and the Oregon Coast (our favorite!) and Dutch Bros and cheap Qdoba! Oh the joys that await us there!

After a few days living on cloud 9 surrounded by all our friends, we're driving to Seattle. Where our summer adventure happily ends...