pinterest

New addiction: pinterest
This makes googling for ideas and DIY projects so much easier!! I'm in love/addicted. I already have a long list of projects I want to do. I can't wait to have a house to decorate, $money$, and my own craft room. Wouldn't you love a craftroom like this??

love, love, love!!

This addiction has me making my christmas wish list early with a cricut machine and sewing machine on the list. I look forward to my own craftroom someday!



I was so happy that I found one DIY project, I've already done:

I used an old frame, covered with fabric, put the glass back on, and we write little notes/reminders on it to eachother. So easy and looks great!


Here are a few of my favorite pins/DIY projects so far:

mason jar turned into a soap dispenser


wine glass dipped into chalkboard paint - great for parties


wreath made out of cinammon sticks - that would smell good



I'll definitely blog when I complete them! In the meantime, I'm busy pinning!

Tests = dessert to celebrate

Brownie Balls
on test day

similar to cake balls, but better! Cake balls were just too messy and goo-ey for me. Brownie balls are so much better...

1. make a batch of brownies
2. when warm, crumble and form little balls with your hands
3. freeze for a few minutes to harden
4. melt chocolate bark
5. dip each brownie ball into chocolate and let cool on foil
6. melt colored candy (from Michaels) and put into ziplock bag; cut a small corner and squeeze and decorate!

Some people freeze the brownie balls afterwards, but I like them at room temperature because it's easier to bite in to. You could freeze and then later let thaw, but then they tend to sweat and the chocolate begins to melt a little.

Ice Cream Pie

for a great first test grade!

1. layer pan with vanilla wafers

2. scoop a gallon of vailla ice cream onto the wafers

3. melt: 1/2 bag of marshmellows, 1/3 cup of evaporated milk, and 1/2 a bag of chocolate chips

4. poor chocolate on ice cream and freeze for a few hours

5. when ready to serve, thaw for a few minutes

This recipe I got from his mom. It's a regular at their house, and will soon be in ours! Next were going to try oreos with mint chocolate chip ice cream and chocolate.

Have a yummy week!

For the City

Our church in Austin ruined us for life. Ok, not really. But seriously, no church compares to the Austin Stone. It is an amazing church that is doing amazing things. We had this mentality when finding a new church in our new city. We missed the stone so much that we have driven on a Sunday 3 hours there and back just for church (while he studies in the car). Today, the sermon was about their project For the City and a church's mission.

Types of Churches:
1. In the city - no lasting impact
2. against the city - protects themselves from the city
3. of the city - tries not to offend the city and therefore waters down the gospel
4. for the city - for his glory

It shouldn't be just the preachers in the churches trying to impact the city. It should be the businessmen changing the local businesses, teachers impacting the children, police officers, doctors and nurses, and the list goes on. He hand picked us to be in this partifular city at this time during this lifetime.

This struck a chord in our hearts. Instead of having the mindset of what can this small town church do for us, we should be thinking what can we do for our town? God could not have been more clear that he wants us in this town at this time for a reason. I mean, he brought us here in his own way and in his own timing and everything fell into place to make that happen.

What can we do for our small town?

To My Beautiful Wife

Ok, so this is really the first post I have written and it is more of a dedication/show of appreciation to my beautiful wife.  Medical school is hard.  Ok, that is just fact. Over the last week leading up to my first test, I literally slept four or less hours a night and was up at the library until two in the morning.  Not once did Whitney complain.  Not only did she not complain she would call or text me just to encourage me and tell me how proud she was.  At one o'clock when I had been studying for twelve hours that day (No, I'm not exagerating at all) she would send me an encouraging text.  She was amazing.  In this process, and we are really early in this process, she has had to bear the brunt of the difficulty.  My amazing wife, quit a job that she was really good at, left the town she had always lived in, moved to a town with no jobs and no friends.  She did that all for me.  God knows I do not deserve her, but I want her to know that I could not and would not want to go through all of this without her.  Whitney you are a blessing from God and you always have been in my life.  Thank you for your unending love and support. I look forward to the life God has blessed us with.  A life dedicated to serving and caring for God's people. 

Valet

Because the school is attached to the hospital it is impossible to find parking. Several times my husband has left for school driving around the parking lot, couldn't find a spot, runs home, and I drive him back to drop him off. Imagine if you actually had an emergency?

Scott and White offers valet parking for their ER. At first, we laughed and thought how odd that was. But then we realized what a great idea! In what better situation would you need valet? Now, it seems silly that restaurants have valet and not all hospitals do. I know they usually have a circle drive in or drop off area, but you still have to bring someone with you to go park the car. Other hospitals are catching on. Some hospitals charge, but Scott and White's is free.



Definitely something to check out at your local hospital!

We aren't alone...

I have come across another blog for medical school wives and have always enjoyed reading their stories. This one in particular reminded me so much of my recent "weird" post. It makes for a good laugh, too!

Med School Tagalongs - Ruined Forever



It's nice to know we aren't alone!

Schedule

For those of you wondering, here is this StuDoc's schedule so far. He sticks to it and is very self motivated. There are a few people in class he has talked with who are shocked about how much work is involved. But once you graduate, they view it more of a right of passage to be a doctor. With this schedule, he has been ahead of his game. His first test is in a week and he is taking it in stride as he listens to his classmates freak out, complain, or even cry. Others will be pulling all nighters, while he will be sticking to his schedule. We have heard the saying everyone in med school is smart (or else you wouldn't have got in) but it really comes down to hard work and self motivation.


4am-6am - wake up and study
6am - walk to the gym and work out
730am - home to shower and get ready
830am - leave for class
9am-4pm - classes, study during lunch
4pm-630pm - stay at school and study
630pm-830pm - eat dinner and relax
830pm-1130pm - study

So he's getting about 8 hours of studying in each day not including class time. Wow! I didn't realize it was that much because I only see him studying when he comes home after dinner. He got this schedule from that blog he talked about with the good organization tips who is also a morning person like him. It helps that he studies by reading and is a fast reader. An MS2 who has 2 kids and pregnant with their 3rd gave my StuDoc some advice for this schedule. He suggested staying at school for one more hour or two and that's the best time to review what you just learned. That way when you come home you can give your full attention to your wife/family. Maybe being married in medical school is good/better in that it disciplines you to study and be productive with your time. Another tip they received at their MCO group is to even be productive with your down town.

Hubby came home the other day talking about how a 40ish year old StuDoc was complaining about how much work was involved and how he felt the teachers weren't helping him as much as they should. The response was "not only are you supposed to learn the material, but learn time management, how to deal with stress, and lack of sleep."

Everyone studies differently and this is just what works for him. One of his classmates said that he studied more in these two weeks than he ever did in a whole semester at UT. Maybe the best way to prepare for med school is to alraedy know how you study. Like he said, everyone's smart but the one's that do well are going to be the harder workers.


Test
His first test is coming up! He said it was 6 hours long - 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. And this isn't even a board exam! After this first test, if he happens to not do well, it won't be because he didn't study enough but needs to study differently, learn what the professors are asking, or the level of depth. Which would be an easier fix for the next test. One difference he mentioned between undergrad and medical school is the level of depth. For example, in college they would ask "what is this" but in medical school they ask "what is this? where is it located? what does it do? if it shuts down, what happens to the body?"


Atleast he's doing well now and his spirits are up, and it's ok if it gets worse from here. But there are some people we've talked to who already hate it and it's only going to get even worse for them. On our date night this week, he actually said he's enjoying medical school! I think he found his calling...