June summer

Lately

At Woodliff/Miller rehearsal dinner

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes

Rock finding

Prissing for all of Leland to see

Handsome Stranger and His Children

Processor is Down

I began with the intention of adding multiple pictures I have of exhausted or stunned-looking fellow med students who have been finishing med school this past month and who will be graduating on Monday. Okay, I'll still add a few.

Surprised, stunned, and mesmerized.

The past month of classes - "Capstone," it's called - has flown by. Capstone did a great job of revealing the some of the great mysteries of residency. We learned how to do a great sign-out, how to teach med students effectively, how to institute some ways to care for ourselves (24 hour gym and autopay were biggest suggestions) during residency. We learned how to declare death, to do a skillful and kind death disclosure, and how to find the lab.

Most lessons of residency cannot be taught ahead of experience...which explains the necessity of residency. I am excited, but also terrified.

A bunch of people I love all in a row

I am thankful that my curriculum includes this practical segment. The simple act of consideration of residency in adequate detail makes it more real. My informal survey of classmates sampled mostly people who are proud to be finished with this phase, but very cognizant of the new challenges inherent in the stage that awaits.

Beautiful in spite of themselves.

Most people are moving very far away. Many, like the two women above, are getting married in the next month - in addition to graduating. Over four years, these people have become my colleagues and my best friends. I will miss them more than I can currently consider (without crying) when they disperse.

These amazing women and men have been friends not just to me but also to my children...and those are the best kinds of friends. My kids have made them their playmates, their jungle gyms, and their role models. My friends have graciously poured out love and affection on my kids. So many hugs, so many games of chase, so many dinners, so many genuine inquiries of, "How are YOU doing?"

Waves of sadness - I will miss this immensely.

I will absolutely be at our med school reunions, hugging and crying. 

Things we all made

Drawn by Richie, painted in oil by Mug...so pleasing (it's Mug and Hannah's house).

KidV on her way out the back door of Hannah and Mug's

KidM jumping the bulb hedge for the zillionth time. She "Had energies."

Five kids and three adults managed to get this many boxes white in 1.5 hours. These will be buildings for KidV's class's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs float.

All the airplanes Grandpa made for us on one neat mobile. You can take them off and fly them.

Lately

Cindy applying makeup - so pretty.

Campsite at the Cartoogechaye

Determined sisters meet chilly April snowmelt

Mug, R, Hannah. Discussing lyrics.

Little pictures

Gap tooth gum chewer. This is a new shirt for KidV. The girls got into the summer box one day when I was still on surgery, so I couldn't micromanage the outpouring or use of new-to-us summer clothes. They've integrated the items into their wardrobe fabulously - and with no help from R or me. The girls wear the same size so they divided the clothing according to complementariness with their skin tones. Nice job, girls!

About to chew gum. Gum is a big deal around our house. It's like cigarettes in prison: currency. Our kids get paid in gum and sometimes I get into their gum stash and have to pay them back double.

Best Baby Doll Ever: "Elisia." KidM had another version of Elisia when when she was under two, but she left that Baby Doll at a hotel. Its name was just Baby Doll. She cried so much that we called Grandma and asked her to send another Baby Doll, and that's how we got Elisia. KidM says she loves how Elisia is always looking to the left - so alert.

Fun times with friends...so fun! The five kids in this photo were cracking each other up at the dinner table the moment before I took this. My friend (the other mom) and I just relaxed into a moment of mutual joy to see them have so much giggly fun.

Teacher appreciation week has come and gone. Here are three mixed kid-collected / parent-purchased flower arrangements for our class's three staff members. They turned out pretty!

A Day in March at South Fork

Investigating

Found a giant Y

It's even more impressive in real life.

I fell in.

We ran into old friends.

Happy late-winter

KidM's actually trying to look stunned for the camera - KidV's all CHEESE!

Match day dinner at Stormin' Burrito!!!!

KidM Planning something woodsy

A difficult hike - KidV was actually getting sick and we didn't know it.

Dressed up in lead outfit for Interventional Radiology...very heavy. Also very warm.

A few photos

Dismantling an old Punch Card Time Clock

KidV and a mysterious gypsy

At the South Fork

Happy Night with Lovebirds

Axial abdominal MRI with contrast.

Of note: KidM asked for a shoulder-length haircut. Never thought I'd see that one. R is working from home. KidV is so TALL. I am finishing my last week of surgical oncology sub-internship...think 15 hour days and lots of colon. Our family is staying HERE for my Emergency Medicine Residency (woohooooo!). That's all folks!

Giant cupcake pirates

Two pirates and their giant cupcake. NB: clinging lemurs around the ankles

Do pillbugs go toward different colors of light or do they choose the dark?

KidM in full "Ta-da!" mode with her science fair project just after finishing it the night before it was due. KidV is searching for signs of her involvement in running the experiments. She had been co-light-operator.

On the wall when we walked into the gym on science fair night

One of KidM's friends giving her a sweet congratulations hug

KidV positively overcome with excitement about one of the other projects

KidM got a crazy-nice gift! She loves it and is already making ample use of it.