A Cranky Start

This morning I am cranky.  Maybe it was the lack of productivity yesterday, or maybe it was the Mr bringing up his family before I even had my coffee... I may never know.  But I do know that I wouldn't come near me with a ten foot pole. 
So the cat is out of the bag.... my in-laws (IL) and I don't have the best relationship.  I think they are the most selfish people I have ever met, and they blame me for every problem their family has had in the last 5 years.... Its pretty mutual. 
I didn't wake up prepared to think about them, or to deal with the emotions I feel each and every time they are brought up in our home.  Mr is in the man-cave studying in silence and I took Zoe for her second walk of the morning before 8:00am.  It has the potential to be a very long day today..

I tried calling my Mom to ask her opinion, but she loves the Mr, and never says anything that could potentially hurt his feelings.  I respect her for that.  I'm just thankful that half of our family wants to be involved with us, and for the other half... we haven't worked that out yet. 

Next weekend we get to see my family for apple picking.  My very favorite fall activity!!  The only thing keeping it from a perfect trip is my little brother won't be able to make it. 

Miss you guys today! Wish we could be with you this weekend visiting Little Brother

My Mom and I have blown kisses since I was a little girl.  Love you Momma.

Daddy picked our Father-Daughter Dance... "Because I got high"  Every single picture we are cracking up.  We had all the Daddies and Daughters dance with us!

Love my little brother

It was a fun week with people we love

Wish everyday could be like this day!

Hope your Sunday started much better than mine. 

Quote of the Day

"I won't argue my words with anyone - nor will I argue with you about yours. If you are offended by what I write, don't read it. ~ Renee "

I found this on another blog, and couldn't resist posting it. 

Have you ever noticed that those who argue are typically defensive, and those who are defensive are typically feeling insecure?  I sure notice this.  I am also guilty of this!

One great thing about medical school is that it teaches you to be objective, even in your personal life sometimes.  I have found that when I remove my emotions from a situation, and look at it objectively, usually I'm much less inclined to feel offended or insecure, and that can hold the arguing to a minimum. 

Just some food for thought... now I'm seriously going to go study neuro!

 

If God Made Prettier Days...

Have you ever heard the saying " If God made prettier days, he kept them for himself"?!  Today, that couldn't be more true! The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the leaves are turning and the breeze is just cool enough.  I don't know if I've ever seen a day quite like today. 

On my to do list for this gorgeous Saturday:
1. study neuro
2. study neuro
3. study neuro
4. study neuro
5. go for a run
6. study more neuro

what I have accomplished this gorgeous Saturday:
1. sleep in until the sun was already up (a rarity in our house)
2. light a fire in the fireplace and open the patio door to pretend we are camping in the living room- complete with a whole family cuddle
3. eat quesadillas for breakfast with TWO cups of coffee instead of one
4. walk Zoe
5. fetch the motorcycle
6. deliver the motorcycle
7. chat at the motorcycle repair shop for...oh...2 hours
8. post on my new blog

So as you can see, I'm a little off schedule today. Its ok, I have plenty of time to get caught up this afternoon.

In bigger news... the Mr is ready for a motorcycle of his own.  This is something that both terrifies me and excites me.  Mr told me about his plans for a motorcycle before we even started dating.  Now that we have the money and are in such a pretty location, it is time.  I want him to ride because he LOVES to ride!  I know that it is something he can do just for himself, and he really deserves that... But at the same time, we are both well aware of the dangers of riding a motorcycle in this part of the country/ any part of the country, really. 

He has been looking and looking and looking at bike adds, but hasn't had the nerve to call anyone to make an offer.  So today I put my foot down.. "MR, IF YOU DON'T CALL AND PUT IN AN OFFER TODAY, I AM GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU.  AND YOU BETTER BELIEVE YOU ARE GOING TO GET THE ONE THAT I THINK LOOKS THE PRETTIEST!!"  Mr was afraid to spend that much money on himself, which is what I thought might be the cause of the delail.  But after my very dangerous threat (lol), he decided that he was going to put in an offer.  So this time next week, we may be the proud owners of a Honda XR650, possibly in pink depending on who makes the call first. 

I'll just continue hoping and praying that my Mr stays safe on these crazy roads. 

Enjoy this beautiful Saturday! 

The Evolution of Weenie Pants

When I was choosing a blog address, I was hoping for something that would be hard for my family and friends to find.  When I know that people I have to see everyday are reading something I write, I tend to edit my words just like in a normal conversation.  That was not the point.  So I thought the secret nickname we call our dog was probably pretty safe. 

Knowing that it is kind of a strange name, I had to do a quick google search before I picked it to make sure nothing too dirty came up if I would mis-type (Don't worry, it was all G rated). The best hit was this:

Weenie in My Pants:

to misunderstand someone for something very inappropriate. Similar to a Freudian slip. Bob: I just did another You: You just did my mother? Bob: Na bro thats not what I said. You: Sorry that was totally a "weenie in my pants" hahahahahahahah!   But enough about the blog.  Lets talk about the evolution of my little lady's name.  I have this great friend I met in medical school (really, she is one of the greatest people I know!). When we first met, she told me the story about her nickname, and how it came about.  Her nickname was Dusty Pants.  After hearing the story, which is hilarious, I went home and called Mr, during our conversation I happened to tell him about my new friend and her nickname.  The next time Mr was in town and saw Zoe, he looked straight at her and called her Weenie Pants.  Zoe being the polite little nugget that she is, wagged her tail at the Mr.  That is how Weenie Pants as we know her was born. How Zoe came into our family is a little longer...   When I was a junior in college, I was starting to consider medical school.  I knew that I would be moving away from my undergrad, and thought that having a dog would make a far-far-away move easier to handle.  Mr (who wasn't Mr yet, still Boyfriend) didn't agree.  He was away on Co-op in Indiana, and didn't want to get a dog until we were living together (good thing I was stubborn because that took 2 more years!)   Well  I was a little impatient, and started to fill out adoption paperwork from the animal shelters nearby. I've never adopted a child, but I would have to assume that the paperwork is CRAZY!!  I had to fill out hundreds, seriously, HUNDREDS of documents saying what kind of pet owner I was going to be, as well as provide at least 5 references saying I was financially responsible and a good person.  (Side note: the Army didn't even require that many references when I commissioned!)   After a few weeks I was losing hope that adopting a pet at 21 was going to work out.  Every shelter shot me down, saying I was just too young.  During finals week, I got a call from a woman who saw that I had experience with a family dachshund.  She said that they just had an entire litter dropped off, and one little lady was pretty sick.  She thought that my experience with weenies might make me a good candidate.    Although a wiener dog wasn't my first choice, I drove out to see the puppies the next day.  A tiny little lady, the smallest of the group and covered in bald spots, came running around the corner, knocking into walls, to fling herself onto my lap.  It was love at first sight, and this is how our family of 3 started.   Zoe was sick when I first got her.  She was taken away from her mother very early, and they believed that she was immunocompromised because of this, as well as infections they were treating.  She also had demodectic mange, which gave her hilarious bald spots all over her little body.  They told me that it wasn't likely the hair was going to grow back, but the rest of her problems would be manageable.   I moved 4 hours away after graduation, ready to start medical school.  I didn't have a roommate and I didn't know anybody, but I had my Zoe.  If you have gone through medical school, than you know how terribly lonely it can be, and if you haven't, let me tell you!  Some days I would sit at my table and study all. day. long. and the only life I would see would be my Zoe.  She was the only reason I would take a break, and the only reason I would get fresh air.  I would have died with out my weenie pants!  I'm quite certain this is when Zoe went from my dog to my angel (if you can't tell with my little obsession)   When Mr graduated in May, he moved down to join the little lady and I. It took Z and the Mr a few weeks of adjusting, but in the end, we really make a great little family!  Zoe even greets him first when we get home!   And that is the story of my sweet Weenie Pants.  She is a great dog.  I've been trying to think of some fun facts I could tell you, but that will have to wait for another post!        Zoe's favorite hideout! She fit just perfect in the open window Napping with the Mr Unpacking my packing Riding around in PIB in a bike stroller She was a bumble bee for Halloween How she sleeps if you don't bug her! Tanning in the sunshine The first picture I have of my lady!  The good news is... her hair grew back and she is a beauty! On a different note: today was the first day of fall weather here. It was amazing! The leaves are turning and falling already, the breeze was cool, and the sky was incredible! I'm looking forward to another amazing season in Hocking Hills.  If you haven't made a trip to see Hocking Hills, Ohio in the fall, you are missing out.  I have lived in Ohio my entire life, and never knew anything so beautiful existed in my state.  It makes a great and cheap vacation!    Hope your day was as beautiful as mine!

Domestic Goddess

I'm in medical school.  Medicine is typically viewed as a male dominated profession.  I'm an Officer in the Army, also a very male dominated profession.  My very sweet husband is as masculine as they come, and my two  best friends are also males.  Sometimes I think the only thing keeping me at all female is my sweet little Zoe, and even she is a Tom-boy.  I think being interested in so many things male oriented is a huge testament to my personality.  Looking at the people I surround myself with and the career and life choices I have made, it shouldn't surprise anyone that I demand to be treated equal to my male colleagues/peers. 

Sometimes this is hard for men to understand, and I'm immediately labeled "bitchy". In my opinion that is inaccurate, and bitchy could be replaced with "confident in my abilities" or "not intimidated by your penis".  I recently read a blog post quoting Proverbs, and what it means to be a good wife.  At first I was interested, but by the end I found myself infuriated by what I was reading.  To me, it just seemed ridiculous!  The idea of waking up before dawn to make my husband breakfast, making my own clothes, or having to "enjoy knitting and sewing" to be a good wife is a joke. 

I can't speak for other women, but for myself, those are unrealistic standards.  Mr married me because I'm stubborn, strong willed, dedicated and confident in my abilities as a person and a woman.  I am no less of a woman or any worse of a wife because I buy my clothes from the store or make breakfast with my husband instead of for my husband. Hubster fell in love with me because of the unique characteristics that make me who I am, regardless of my housekeeping skills. Mr is my partner in life.  He is the man who will stand next to me, never behind or in front of me.  When I read things like the Proverbs story, or that women still abide by those standards, it makes me so sad.  It makes me feel like they are comfortable standing behind their men. It IS POSSIBLE to give your loved ones all the support and encouragement they could ever need next to them, as an equal, and not as lesser human being. 

I am no less a person than my husband.  I love my husband with every single ounce of my being, and I know that he is the very greatest person I have ever known. But I will not respect myself any less than I respect him.  I love cooking Mr breakfast, but sometimes its nice to sleep in and have Mr cook me breakfast, or even better, wake up to cook together. .  I have never minded doing housework, but there is nothing in my DNA that says I have to do all the housework while he relaxes.  Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I put great value in improving my patience, kindness, and support, as well as believe in always trying to improve myself.  But I don't think "trying to be perfect" is the right answer.

I think Proverbs uses one example to show a unique set of characteristics that make that fictitious character a good wife for her particular husband.  But that is just one blueprint of one type of women, and there are millions of different kinds of women out there, and millions of men that are looking for women that possess something different than just those particular skills.  What that reading describes is not the "perfect woman", which I believe to be misquoted constantly, she is the "Domestic Goddess".   Where the disconnect falls with me, is where all women think that the Domestic Goddess characteristics are what they have to possess to be successful or worth something.  You are perfect. You are perfect in your shortcomings, mistakes, flaws and attributes alike. God made you who you are for a reason!  Each characteristic that you possess is unique to you, and that is beautiful. I don't think there is anything wrong with working to be the Domestic Goddess, but I don't believe at all, that those are the only qualities that make you a good wife or partner!

 I hope that no woman or girl reads that text and lets it diminish their self worth one bit. Maybe that woman is really good at sewing on buttons, but can she perform a total knee replacement like some women I know?  Can she lead a team of 20 soldiers onto a battlefield with every single one depending on her to come out safe, like other women I know?    Does her husband look at her with the same respect he  feels when he looks in the mirror?

 I bet not. 
I think what you lack in cooking ability, maybe you make up for in a little extra spunk or creativity.  The extra attitude you have might make you really determined and strong willed.

I hope that reading this helps you feel empowered and beautiful and confident.  I hope it makes you proud to be the amazing woman, man, or something in between, that you are!! 

This picture empowers me! It makes me feel strong, fierce, and capable!

This one too!  That's me and the Mr!

Love Love LOVE rafting the Gauley River in West Virginia!

What empowers you??

Clarification:

***I would also like to ensure no one is getting the wrong idea.  I don't think there is anything wrong with staying home with your family.  I think in fact, the women that don't stay home are constantly feeling the pressures to do more to take care of their families, and less to pursue a career. I'm sure everyone feels pressures to do something or not do something differently.  What I was trying to stress here is that each person has a set of gifts that they should be proud of.  And no matter if your gifts are cooking and raising kids, or maintaining an ER, you should be proud of those gifts, and work to do your very best at them!  I don't think it is wrong to stay home and be a wonderful wife and mother, but I also know that it is NOT wrong to pursue a career!  Sometimes its hard to hear over and over and over that "I am going to be missing out on so much", or "what does your husband think about you working...", or "oh... you are going to have to work... that's so sad.."  It gets old, hurtful, and frustrating,  and I know you ladies feel the same crappy pressure to be somebody that you are not, no matter what those pressures are! 

I hope today you can soar above the pressures and be proud of whatever role you fill!!   

Hope that clarifies!

First Exam

PS. The hubby thinks his first exam went well!!  I am so proud of him! He is out at the bar celebrating a homework free night with some friends, before his new classes start again at 8am tomorrow.

A Day In the Life

A day in the life of Mrs.
6:00am- alarm goes off, snooze button
6:09am-alarm goes off, snooze button
6:18am- get out of bed.. probably the saddest part of any given day
7:00am- finish getting ready so I can take weenie pants for her morning walk
7:30am- get home from walk, grab multiple piles of crap thrown about the apartment
7:40am- drop Mr off at school for his very first medical school exam "Good luck Brew"
7:55am- Hospital for Orientation to Ortho Surgery
8:30am- want to shoot myself because orientation is that boring.
9:30am- back to campus for some hardcore studying. OMM review winter quarter last year
Noon- Table Trainers mandatory 1 hour meeting- at least they feed us delicious soup!
1:10pm- Regional Neuro Anatomy II
2:10pm- Physiology and Anatomy of Cranial Nerves I
3:10pm- Physiology and Anatomy of Cranial Nerves II
4:00pm- hurry up and send the Army the last of my marriage documentation so they stop yelling at me.  Multiple phone calls/ texts to the hubster to make sure we have everything filed correctly
4:10pm- Anatomy of the Cerebral Cortex I
5:00pm- Run and Abs
6:15pm- Study OMM with Big and Tall
7:30pm- husband rescues me from studying
8:00pm- dinner!  I was so hungry! 
8:15pm- sit down and write my second blog of all time while entertaining weenie pants on my lap
8:30pm- I will have at least another 2-3 hours of solid studying left.  I hope 3, but would be happy with 2 if it would be quality. 

Wooooooooooo! I'm tired just thinking about all that stuff lol.  I LOVE it though. I knew when I decided I wanted to go to medical school I was choosing a lifestyle, and not a career. I knew that it would mean long nights of studying, long days of classes, and lots of following around -not-so-friendly- doctors.  I'm ok with that, because in the long run, I will be able to help people using knowledge that I love!  It makes it even better that the Mr is in the same field.  He understands all the amazing details in medicine! He gets as excited as I do when we hear of a new treatment or fresh research.  It makes it even more special.  I didn't grow up wanting to be a doctor, but I'm sure glad thats where I'm heading now.

What do your days look like? I'm sure they are much more exciting than mine!