Dr. Larsen

This month as been a big month for us.  We celebrated our 9th anniversary, Grandma and Grandpa came to Vermont, we packed, we moved across the country and to round it out, tomorrow is my 30th birthday. But of all of those things, the biggest and best day of them all was this day:

This was the reason we moved to Vermont in the first place, the reason we have so many wonderful friends, and came to love one of the most beautiful places on earth. We went so Dave could be a doctor. And now he is! I am so proud of him for all the work he did over the last 4 years. Time flew by. I always say that I am amazed at all the stuff he knows now that he didn't know 4 years ago. He was a stellar student, and yet still managed to be there for us as his family and for his friends and for our church family. I am so lucky to call him mine!

Congrats, Dr. Larsen!

match day

Friday might as well have been Christmas. Dave and I couldn't sleep the night before, I woke up a few times in the night and then as soon as the alarm went off I was awake. The kids were excited too. They were wondering when we would know and how we would find out. We got them off to school and then fussed around the house for a bit until it was time to go up to the school. Heather took pictures of the event for us and I am so glad she did.

Every school does Match Day a little differently.  After a couple brief remarks by the Dean and the UVM president, they began calling up students randomly to open up your envelope and announce it to your classmates. It was fun to see everyone's reactions. It was TORTURE waiting though. Dave was called up almost at the end.

Woohoo! We waited a long time for this day.

The class's grand entrance.

Waiting. We were trying to decide where to stand. Dave can't stand in the front, but I can't see in the back. A common problem in our relationship. :)

Here we go... Where is it going to be?

Nervous

"Hi, I'm Dave. This is Erin. I am going into Pediatrics."

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH - Primary Children's Hospital

Hooray! Our #1 choice.

They gave the class these signs to hold up. Of course Dave chose the one with the LeBron reference.

Dave had 4 other classmates (2 couples) that matched at the U. We are so excited to be going there with them. One of them will be in Pediatrics with Dave. They are all awesome.

When we told the kids after school they were so excited to hear that we will be by grandparents, cousins, and get to see so many of our friends that travel to Utah. They want to help us look for houses and everything. We are so excited!

2 days more

Want to hear a story?

Yeah, me too. Truth be told I can't form two coherent sentences. I am so anxious for match day on Friday, when we find out where we matched for residency. I am wandering around my house thinking that I probably should be cleaning house and doing laundry but then I walk past the big map of the United States in our dining room and all I can think is "Where?" So then I compulsively look up houses in various places so that on Friday morning when we open that envelope I can have some peace of mind knowing that we will find a place to live that will be wonderful for our family.

In other news, Ana has attended school 1 1/2 days in the last week due to a snow day, a teacher in-service day and now she is sick. She is now watching Frozen for the 2nd time. I love that movie!

This is how we waited out the snow storm

If you want to watch the Match ceremony, you can follow this link. It is Friday at 12:00 Eastern time.

https://www.uvm.edu/~comvideo/podcast_folder/show.php?fn=/2014.03.21_MATCH_DAY.mp4

survival mode

I was discussing with my friend the seasons of Vermont. Of course there is winter, winter and more winter. I love it in December and January with their fresh layers of snow dressing the world in beautiful whiteness and me curled up by our fire with hot chocolate. About mid-February and March it is still too cold and overcast and gloomy to go out, but the beautiful snow is gone and you have "mud season." The only good thing to come out of those late-winter/early-spring months is maple syrup. Then For about 6 weeks in May and early June we have a beautiful spring with blooming lilacs and the florescent greenery as the new leaves bud. July and August likewise are wonderful as the green deepens into an indescribable thickness. September and October come with cooler weather, pumpkins, mums, apple cider and, of course, the wonderful color of the trees. Then comes November. It isn't snowing yet, but the trees are bare. It is "stick season."

So, "stick season" is upon us now with morning window scrapings and crunching leaves beneath our feet. It isn't too bad, particularly with the upcoming holidays. It seems even this early the holiday anticipation begins to build.

October went quickly. Dave was doing his "AI" (Acting Internship - in which they take on nearly resident workload and hours) in the NICU (which he thoroughly enjoyed) so we didn't see much of him.  With it I went into survival mode with lowering my expectations and trying to soak up as much of the fall as I could. He is now off interviewing for residencies, so survival mode continues. I am actually enjoying my evenings, though, as I am listening to "The Count of Monte Cristo" while doing up some chores. Plus I have great friends who help me fill up my time during the day. So, we are surviving. Even if Jack did decide to dump out his cereal milk tonight for no reason and Ana sneaks my iPod away to take a bunch of selfies.

But that's kinda awesome.

omaha (or iowa or salt lake or albuquerque or tucson) on my mind

My favorite place on earth: Shelburne Orchard

 Dave is in the midst of scheduling interviews for residency. Starting in November, he will be traipsing all over the country telling various places how awesome he is.  This whole thing is a little nuts.  In February he will submit a ranked list of all the places he interviewed, they will go into a computer along with the school's ranking of all their interviewees and ... VOILA! ... out spits a "Match," which we open and read in front of his class in March. It is exciting and nerve-racking at the same time.

In trying to decide where to apply and weighing the pros and cons of individual places, I have been (self) assigned the task of researching different programs: benefits, cost of living, commute time, schools, etc. Some programs I get really excited about and typically every week it is a different program that I am determined it is our number one choice.  I know that really now it is a waiting game. My research helped us determine where to apply and now I need to wait for Dave to go and check out the programs himself. It is hard not to get caught up in the "when we move..." mentality.

On the flip side, I recognize that this likely is our last fall here in Vermont and I want to be present. The weather has been gorgeous and I have been trying to soak it up, fitting in trips to the orchards, leaf-peeping drives, and long afternoons at the park. It has been glorious.

My mind is mostly muddled and my attention span is about nil. Just while writing this post I stopped once to look up news reports on the shutdown deal, and another time to look up flight prices between two of Dave's interviews. It has taken me significantly longer than it should have. And I have a toddler to take care of and laundry to finish and dishes to wash.

big test part 2

Tonight I (Dave - I know, I don't ever post here anymore) was lying down by Jack at bed time. He gave me a good little pep talk. You see, tomorrow I take step 2 of the USMLE for med school. There was one previous post last year when I took step 1.

 So, I told Jack I was feeling a little nervous and worried about my test tomorrow. Here is some of what he said:

"Dad, tests are nothing to be worried about. Tests don't hurt you or anything. Tests don't bite you. Tests, you just have to work hard. And big tests you have to work hard for all day or something."

"Remember, I was worried about preschool but it was fun!"

 "Now do you not feel worried?"

 What a good boy! I'm not quite as worried as I had been.

this week....

....Dave is home after finishing all of his 3rd year rotations. Coming up: studying for USMLE Step 2 and a rotation in SLC, during which we will all be traveling home. Yay! I somehow spend significantly less time on the computer when Dave is home. I don't know if it is because he is using it, or if I just want to prove my productivity (since the cleanliness of our home clearly doesn't prove that). Either way, we are here, hanging out together.

....I am spending a lot of time reading our book club book: The Gift of Fear. Very interesting and empowering.

....Katie had her 18 month check-up. She was approximately 22 pounds, (we couldn't get an accurate reading because she was screaming during the weigh-in, which really caught me off guard because she is generally a happy kid) and as soon as her diaper was on and she was let down off my lap, she put her clothes back on. She also eczema.

....I have been up in the night with a certain toddler. For whatever reason, she just isn't sleeping well lately.  And her hair is permanently crusted in food. And her favorite word is "mine" or some variation like "MY cracker" or "MY seat" or whatever. But she is adorable and smart and generally happy.

february

It is February. February is hard.

Now is the time when Dave actually should have an answer (more or less) to the question, "What kind of doctor do you want to be?" I mean, besides, "a good one." 4th year is the time when you set up rotations based on what you want to do and where you want to go for residency, which we apply to in September.  Rotations start in April, and he is getting them all set up right now. I can't even tell you how many times we've talked about what we want to do and where we want to live and what residencies we're interested in.

Because of that, it is really hard not to get a little "trunky." A little anxious to know where we are going, for residency and beyond, and what life will be like for the future, and a little restless to get there. Plus, it is February. And February is hard.

We love Vermont and the friends we have made here. When I really stop to think about it, I know that I will miss this place so much, just like I miss my friends in the other places we have lived. Each time we have moved away, I have said, "I want to move back here someday" and I am sure I will say the same about Vermont.  I need to focus on living in the present and making memories here.

But still, it is February. And February is hard.

 

Ana is taking ice skating lessons and loving it!

Just one of those things to keep our sanity here in the 

long winter months.

step 1 (of a million)

Right before we left to go home, Dave took a "big test." That's what we told the kids. Specifically it was USMLE Step 1.

He got his scores back this week and he did really well. Of course, this is just the first of a long line of exams and hoops to jump through prior to being a practicing physician. But it does put him in a competitive range for basically any specialty he could want. I am so proud of him.

In celebration of finishing the exam, we had a party of sorts. We took his Step 1 study guide, now completely useless and tore it to pieces. Jack thought this was great fun. Ana was a little concerned about destroying a book, until we told her that we would recycle the paper so it could make more books.

white coat ceremony

Friday was Dave's white coat ceremony. I was a very proud wife-y seeing him wear a real white coat for the first time. Its a ceremony celebrating the transition into clinical studies. The speaker gave a really good address summarizing all the things they would see and experience in their white coats.

Interestingly enough, the ceremony was on the 6th anniversary of our engagement. I'll tell you I never thought then that I would be here in Vermont supporting Dave in his medical studies, but I am so glad we are here and am grateful for all the experiences that brought us here.

(UVM College of Medicine class of 2014)

For the local news coverage click here. (You can see me and my good friend Sara cheering from the balcony around 0:38. I'm in black; she's in red.)

life of a med school wife

I guess I'm going through a period of thoughtfulness. It seems I've been saying too much lately. But seeing as how I am sitting alone on a Friday night, repeatedly telling Ana to stay in her bed, and spending time reading a slew of med school wife blogs, thoughts came and I feel compelled to write them.

What's it like being a med student wife? I know that every wife will have a different experience than I do. Different schools have different schedules, husbands have different abilities, some wives work or don't have kids. So, I can tell you what its like for me. But I truly believe I am in the lucky few.

Dave has class from 8 to noon every day. Another 2 or 3 days a week he has a lecture or lab or small group in the afternoon, and most days he is done with class by 3. He stays on campus until 6 then comes home; so 5 days a week he gets between 2 and 5 hours of studying done.

On top of this very workable schedule, Dave has an amazing ability to retain things. He also is a very good guesser. (I know this because he gets tons of right answers on Sporcle quizzes simply by guessing. I do not have this gift.) These two things combined make him a phenomenal test taker. And its not just that he can spit out the answers and then forgets it. He remembers that stuff. Concepts go in his head, he understand them and they stay there. He still has to study, of course. He has to memorize all sorts of names for things. But the concepts click in his mind. I am in awe of this talent.

Early in the year we determined that it was important for him to have time with the family. From 6:30 to 8:30 is scheduled "family" time. We eat dinner together, then he plays with the kids for a while before they go to bed. After that he's free to study or do whatever else. But most nights we watch a movie or TV together. With the exception of a few days leading up to a test (like the one this coming Monday) and mutual nights on Wednesday night, we have stuck to this schedule. I think it has done wonderful things for our family. Having dinner together, reading scriptures and saying prayer together as a family, and spending time together is so important to the sanity of all 4 members of our family. On top of his gift of smarts, I know he is getting blessed academically by making family a priority.

So, what's it like being a med school wife? So far, it isn't much different than being any other kind of stay at home wife. I've been staying at home with kids since Ana was 6 months old. I think that winter was the hardest yet - all alone with a tiny baby, hardly any friends, nowhere to go, and no car to go in anyway. This winter I have wonderful friends, plenty to do if I feel like it, and a car at my disposal. And though its been freezing outside and we're getting a little stir crazy, I know that I can do something about it when I want to.

I'm sure that in another year when he's studying for the medical licensing exam, and starting rotations and what not I might be singing a different tune. But for now, life is good! We love Vermont, we love our little family and the experiences we are having, and I know we will look back on this time and think it was wonderful!

dave's first day of school

And he has one proud little girl! And wifey. :)

this week in numbers

360 - miles driven (to Boise for Dave's University of Washington Interview)

1 - yummy Brazilian Restaurants eaten at

7 - hours spent doing Relief Society stuff

2, 1 - Number of temper tantrums Jack and Ana threw, respectively. Ana should score extra for doing it at a friend's house.

3 - days Jack could be seen sporting this:

Philadelphia Update

The interview went well yesterday - I interviewed on the 18th floor of a hospital downtown. It was pretty cool.

Today we (Dave and Kendall) were in the city all day long. We are tired.

Anyway, here is a picture someone took of us in front of Independence Hall.



More pictures will probably be posted after we get back Monday night.

good news

After 1 1/2 years and thousands of dollars, David has been accepted into medical school.

Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine accepted him this morning into the class of 2014.

Everything that has been up in the air for the last 2 years finally has landed on a path. We have until Dec. 14th to let them know. We will wait to see what happens from Rochester and Vermont before we decide.

But we can relax now...

Congratulations Dave!

another bulleted list

*Dave is home. Yay!!! He did really well in his interviews, and he really, really, really wants to get accepted to University of Rochester.

*Loved General Conference.

*When I got home from Poky the other day to a freezing cold house, I learned that the gas got disconnected in our house and I have to wait until Monday to get it turned on. So we spent a few days at the in-laws and are using space heaters tonight. Its still pretty cold in the house...

*My kids are sick. Jack isn't sleeping well, and they are both coughing. Sad.

Update from Burlington

Well, my interview went pretty well today. I think so anyway. I think I gave them a good idea of who I am and what I am all about. So, if they think I will fit things should work out great. If not - nothing I can do about it.

Anyway, here are some pics.

Between the two main parts of the Detroit airport is a big tunnel. There was this "art glass" on the walls and its colors changed with some music that was playing. It was pretty cool.



This afternoon when I was done with my interview I went into downtown Burlington. This is a picture of Church street. There were a ton of shops and places to eat.


I also walked down to the lake. It was cool. I think I am going to take a ferry across the lake tomorrow as part of my travels.


Well, there you go. Hopefully it will work out to put up another update later this week.

Dave is currently sleeping soundly in Burlington, Vermont. His med school interview is tomorrow, then he heads to Rochester, New York for an interview on Friday. I don't like sleeping by myself, so I am putting off going to bed to bring to you a bulleted list of randomness:

* I really like "The Office."

* My children are really cool. Today, while eating a sucker on our way to Wal-Mart, Ana said to me. "The only things I love are suckers and juice. And mush [cream of wheat]." She also said, "Mommy, can I call you Daddy for short?"

* Dave did really well in last week's interview in Des Moines. My husband is cool.

* My dryer broke. I've been drying most of my clothes on our line outside, but I didn't want to hang my underwear out there for all my neighbors to see, so I took them over to my MIL's house today. We ate dinner, did FHE, and played outside. My in-laws are wonderful. I hit the jackpot with Dave's family.

*I really like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Especially for a bedtime snack. I'm going to go have one right now.

*Good night.

anticipation

a few things we are looking forward to around here:

*Dave's 3 interviews that he has at the end of the month. We just bought a new suit for Dave today that looks really sharp. He's gonna knock 'em dead.

*Ana starts dancing class next week. She is so excited. She loves to put on her dancing clothes and listen to music. Her most requested songs: "fast ones" by Ben Folds, and Good Day Sunshine by the Beatles.

*And this.

here is a preview:

Quick Thought

Just in case you were wondering.

Also, there has been some progress on med school applications. Things are looking up this year!!