Since I last posted...we took a trip out west and stayed with both our families for two months. I am so blessed to have two amazing families :). Tim did an Orthopedic rotation at the U for 4 weeks, and then he and I got to go to LA while he took a test. A HUGE thank you to my parents for allowing that kid-less trip to be possible. Tim and I will cherish those memories forever! Some of that amazing beach weather is looking pretty good right now, I tell you what...
We got back in time for me to start up a nanny job with a family that I have been working for on and off since moving to Cleveland. Tim then left me, my job, and our two boys to do another month long rotation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. As you can imagine, I had really good days, and really bad days while he was gone. It was good that we had Halloween and beautiful Cleveland in the fall to help distract us :). I had so much help and support from family, my friends here in Cleveland, and my Heavenly Father. Looking back, I really don't know how I made it. What I do know is that without all of the help, I would have sunk.
Tim came home right in time for Thanksgiving, and that year I was soooooooooooooooo grateful to be back together as a family. Did I mention that I was more than grateful that Tim was back?!?! On Thanksgiving morning, I unknowingly and very much on accident, gave Max peanut butter. As most of you know, Mr. Max has a lovely peanut allergy. So fun. Long story short: Max ate peanut butter on his breakfast toast (me thinking I had given him almond butter), I went on a nice long run, came back and saw my sweet 4 year old experiencing a severe anaphylactic reaction. Rashes, watery eyes, itching, and then eventually vomit, and difficulty breathing. I was so sure I hadn't given him peanut butter (he hadn't had any since he was 18 months), that in the beginning stages of the anaphylaxis, we thought it was something else. When it got to the point of wheezing, Tim grabbed the EpiPen and jabbed it into Max's upper thigh and we rushed to the ER. Long story short again: Thanks to Tim being a medical student, the doctor only made us stay put for 6 hours, vs the 24 hour stay they would have ordered. We made it to our Thanksgiving dinner with our friends only an hour late and had a wonderful night despite the exciting events of that morning/afternoon. I can't describe the guilt and sick feeling I got in my stomach that day when I realized that I had given Max peanut butter by mistake. I was a mess. I am so so grateful that Tim was home (he was about to leave for a turkey football game) and for modern medicine. The EpiPen saved Max's life. Moral of the story: I DO NOT want this incident to become a Thanksgiving Day tradition.
December was magical. Tim's schedule opened up a ton (except for his residency interviews), and we enjoyed all of the delights of the Christmas season. We stayed in Cleveland for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, then headed to Virginia and Washington D.C. to see my parents, and two sisters, Camille and Annie (and their families). It was wonderful to be with them, and we had such a great time!
Pretty much after our trip to D.C., our life has gone something like this: Unbelievably cold weather, more snow than I ever thought could fall, cold weather, freezing weather, so much family time with Tim, giving the chill 4th year of med school a big wet one on the cheek, Tim coming and going from residency interviews, fun temple trips to Columbus, A LOT of prayers/fasting about our rank list for residency, awful weather, hot chocolate, getting sick, getting better, getting sick, getting better, more prayers about Tim's residency, enjoying our dear friends here in Cleveland, me nannying like a crazy woman to save up for our move (and possibly new house ((our very own!!!)) in May, playing with my two crazy boys that I can't get enough of (except for the times that I can get enough...), going on so many fun dates with Tim, Netflix, baking, eating, baking, eating, treadmill run after treadmill run (I am dang lucky I have one, but am so ready for a run outside...bah!), and last but not least, did I mention us experiencing the WORST winter Cleveland has had in decades? No joke.
I looked at the extended weather forecast for March last night and saw 50 degrees. I think I went into shock. We got dumped on last night. Again. I hate to jinx the weather, but it looks like that will be the last major storm...I hope!
Even though I hate Cleveland for its winters, I am going to miss it so much come May. There is a chance we could match here, but we will probably leave Ohio. The match process. Oh, the match process...sigh. It happens on March 16th. Timmy will get an email at noon that day telling him whether or not he matched into an orthopedic residency program. If he does, then I will call and cancel my spot in the local psych ward and start breathing again normally. If he doesn't match, then we get to do a complete 180 and change our life plans within 4 days. It is called the scramble. You can find other medical specialties that have spots in their residency programs...OR...sign your life away to a year of research or general surgery only to reapply to orthopedics next year (your chances not good at all the 2nd time around). Needless to say, we really, really, really, REALLY hope we match. Tim is an incredible applicant. He has worked his tail off and then to get to where he is today. The only problem is that every other applicant is just like Tim. It complicates things just a bit. BUT, we are putting our trust in the Lord and have the faith that whatever happens is supposed to happen. At least I keep telling myself that... No, we really have felt the Lord's hand in our lives with this major life change, and we are so grateful.
Anyway, that loaded email will come on March 16th. If we match, we find out where on March 20th. It is a big deal where all of Tim's medical buddies congregate and open up their individual envelopes. Not nerve wracking at all.
I can't believe that it is March already. So many big things are going to happen for our family this month. No matter what happens though, I have a husband that I love more than anything, and Max and Jake that have given me the privilege of being their mom. I have the gospel and the knowledge that I get to be with my family forever. I am so, so fortunate!
...to be continued till the week of March 16th baby!!
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| We jumped on the ONLY day in weeks and weeks that was above 20 degrees to take our boys sledding. Max has been asking all winter to go, and I have been a pansy of a Mom and keep telling him it is too cold. Well, we finally braved the cold one morning last week, and enjoyed an outing of sledding in a blizzard, followed by doughnuts and hot chocolate. Max was in heaven! Jake, on the other hand, lasted about two sled runs. A fond and crazy memory for sure! |
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| And yes, we were the ONLY ones out sledding that morning... |
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| Snow anyone? Tim, the shovel master! |
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| These pics were taken last night. Tim came inside from shoveling and said we had to take a picture to remember the snow. To be honest, I would rather not remember... |
