Match Day

We found out last week, after what seemed like forever, that we really will be going to Cincinnati for my pediatric cardiology fellowship. For a long time, and for many different reasons, we have felt that Cincinnati was the best place for us and would be the place we would end up. Even though we have felt fairly confident that we would end up there, it is very nice to have it finalized. Along with the excitement of the news has come the reality of the impending hard work of fellowship. I think we both feel that I need to be at a place that will give me a solid foundation in cardiology and Cincinnati will indeed provide that. The people there are great and I am thrilled to be spending the last part of my medical training in such a great place. Aside from the great training, we are so happy to be moving closer to some of our good friends, Dave and Michelle Hooper. In fact, the girls I think are excited to be moving closer to the Hooper kids, even if their match wishes (to return home to Utah to be spoiled on a daily basis by their Nana and Grandpa Rocket) were not fufilled.

Our #2 drama queen

Our girls love to dress up just about as much as anything else in the world. Mary is certainly no exception. Here she is putting on her best model impersonation. drama queen

Graduations

This weekend marked the most recent of my graduations. I am now officially a pediatrician. From now on it will be that much easier for me to explain to people outside of the chaotic world of medicine what exactly I do. No more, "I am a pediatric resident....no, not a medical student....well, yes I am a doctor but.....no I cannot write you a prescription for a Z-pak! Finally, I can just say I am a pediatrician. Well, of course if I am honest I have to continue to confuse people with my new role as "chief resident", which may be the most confusing thing ever to explain, or the fact that even though I am finished I am not really finished because I want to do a fellowship in pediatric cardiology. Oh well, maybe someday it will all be clear...to me and everyone else. Not to change the subject but I have decided that graduations really are no fun. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to get together and celebrate this accomplishment with the people who have gone through this with me and my family who has supported me for the last three years. The thing that is painful for me is that I feel like my life is a series of periods of time where I meet, get to know, become friends with, and get attached to a group of people, only to have them all go away after "graduation", after which I most likely never see them again. High school, undergraduate, medical school, and now residency. It is really hard to come to care about people then to lose touch with them. Hopefully I can do a better job keeping in touch this time around.

Swim meet (Parkwood vs. Duke)

Yesterday I had a swim meet. I did freestyle and backstroke. Mary only did freestyle. In the swim meet I was fifth place in freestyle and second place in backstroke. -Emma

Uncle Trevor and the kids at the aquarium 

Aidan and Miia at the beach 

Andersons, the Andersons, and the Andersons

This past week has been very eventful for us. Trevor, Jamie, Aidan, and "little" Jonas came to visit. I say "little" Jonas because my cousin "big" Jonas and Rachel moved here from New Haven this past week as well. We have been busy going to the beach, visiting museums, playing lots of games (Jamie would have won Settlers of Catan for the first time if not for a crucial error that left the door open for Trevor to steal the game from her), and just talking. Although I think Aidan was a little overwhelmed at first with all the attention from the girls, and most likely frightened by their rooms filled with dolls and dress-up clothes, he finally settled in. It did not take long before he and the girls (especially Miia) were best friends. Karen and I certainly loved seeing Trevor and Jamie and staying up too late every night talking and playing. I think all of us by the end needed a day or so to rest from our sleep deprivation. We are so thankful that they were able to come visit us. We are also thankful that Jonas and Rachel have moved down for law school. Having been away from family for the last few years has really made us miss being able just to call our family and have dinner or talk or play games. Hopefully they will not get tired of us during the next year that we are all here together because we really love being with them.