done, done, DONE!

When Stephen got done with his last final on Friday morning, I didn't know what to do with him! Nor did he know what to do with himself! I picked him up from school, for the last time, with a beer in hand and a giant congratulatory hug and smooch. All well deserved :) We came home and crawled back in bed to watch a movie (something he hasn't gotten to do very often this year) and simply enjoyed each other's company. And the complete and utter laziness. Cleaned house, cleaned up and picked his parents up from the airport. They made the quick flight in for Stephen's end of the year dinner. Always a treat to see them!

The dinner was held both as a congratulatory yummy feast for all the students who survived their first year and to honor one student with the Arthur Schaible Anatomy Award. Before the three courses of deliciousness, we got to enjoy an hour or so of talking with all the students, spouses, parents and staff. This year's WWAMI class is made up of some truly remarkable people, both in the classroom and out. We've been so grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know each of them and their families. We've made some incredible friends along this journey and can't wait to spend more time with them in Seattle!

The dinner began and once our tummies were full, they announced the winner of this year's Arthur Schaible Anatomy Award. Arthur Schaible was a renowned surgeon in Fairbanks who began his medical work in Alaska in 1938. After his passing, his gracious wife decided to give back to the medical community through a yearly award and donation to one student in the Alaska WWAMI program. The award winner is chosen based on many criteria... Grades, class participation, leadership, quality of lab work... "The student who best demonstrates excellence in Human Gross Anatomy is chosen as the recipient of the award." And as Dr. Bailey said while announcing the award, "It is the most prestigious medical school award in the nation, both in cash value and honorable recognition." And then he said my husband's name...

Six students had addressed Dr. Bailey recommending Stephen for the award, saying he is so quiet and humble they might have overlooked him. But they hadn't. Grinning from ear to ear while I sat crying at the table, Stephen walked up to accept his award. His face was every shade of red and I'm sure he was praying he wouldn't have to give a speech :) He is so honored, and I am so proud! Truly, so very, very proud! I have watched him all year (usually from the kitchen at the back of his head as he studies diligently at his desk in the living room) work so hard in his studies. It amazes me that he was able to spend so much time with me and put forth so much effort in school. Never once has he failed at being a remarkable husband, nor failed at anything in school. From the outside, before we started this medical school adventure, it didn't seem so hard. People warned us and tried to prepare us, but I never thought it would be hard. We had it in the bag, right?! But it has been hard. Hard for Stephen in school, trying to learn more information than they give you time to learn it, trying to juggle 25 credits of 600 level classes, trying to pass twelve tests in eight weeks... Hard on our relationship, trying to spend time together, to talk to each other, to not miss the person you live with... Hard making time for friendships and family... Just hard. But he's done it. We've done it. And to see him excel through all of it just melts my heart (and really gets my tear ducts going!)

I am so lucky. So honored. So proud. And so very, very in love.

freedom

Peace out, Nordstrom. I'm outta here. 

Most people love the last day at their job. And yes, I may have done a little happy dance on the other side of the sky bridge and am so excited and ready for summer, but I truly do, did, love my job and the people I got to work with. Which is hard to find, I think. I actually liked going to work! (For the most part. Let's be real. It is till work.) But how awesome is it that I got to spend each day with great people, doing what I love and spent 3 years of college learning, meeting all sorts of strangers and new friends?! It's a bitter sweet end. And ohh that Nordstrom employee discount... You will be missed. Almost as much as my coworkers ;)

P.s. Love the hair? Hate the hair? Anna told me I looked like a grandma and Husband told me I looked like a German milkmaid. But I also received a lot of compliments and "how did you do that"s, so now I'm torn and need your help deciding if this style will ever grace us with it's presence again. Vote now or forever hold your peace.

(p.p.s. one. more. day.)

put a bow around your neck and call it christmas

2 more days of work.

3 more days of studying.

and 2 more finals to go.

then, welcome to summer.

this might be better than chirstmas.

ready.

go.

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! :)

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...