the little things

A couple weeks ago I was driving home from the grocery store. It had been just one of those busy days where you seem to be moving but not really getting anywhere all day. I was having a rough time, and kept thinking about all the current challenges we had as well as the ones looming in the future. A good cry was definitely in the cards for me that day - although I was surprised by the reason for the tears.

**Disclaimer** I love associating certain songs with time periods and different experiences throughout my life. I could hear one song by so and so and immediately think of a church dance when I was 14, or remember singing in the car with one of my sisters, or think about my freshman year in college and how much fun it was to feel/act independent even though I really wasn't!

So while driving home that day, a song on the radio came on that I'd never heard. But almost before the chorus began, the tears had started. For the most part, I am not a fan of Trace Adkins ... I prefer artists who actually sing. But there is definitely an exception - and this is it. The song's called "You're Gonna Miss This" and it immediately became a favorite of mine. The song describes this girl going through life always looking forward to the future and wanting to skim-over what's happening right now.

There's such a strong temptation in our lives right now to say "oh after this block and after this test we'll have more time" or "when we're out of medical school then we can do this" or even "can't wait until the weekend!" And I admit, that day I definitely fell for it. But I have to remind myself that every day is a good day if I want it to be, and that I am in control of enjoying it. Even some of the most difficult times can be the most enjoyable ones, and I know that Ryan and I really do have a very good life and are blessed tremendously! We will miss these days in the future, and wish that they didn't go by so fast. So even if I'm having a hard day, I like to remember that and try to think about ways that I can make the most of it. It's hard work - but I know it's worth it!!

dominating the elementary school

Amid the never-ending amount of studying that Ryan does on a weekly basis, he honestly tries to get out and participate in some form of physical activity. He does a really good job of it in my opinion (maybe because walking around the track is a huge accomplishment for me these days!), and plays a lot of pick-up games with other medical students and friends. And this past weekend he proved - with other first-year med students - that domination on the school playground still counts for something.

Let me ask you, when was the last time you felt this ecstatic?

What was the last time you played dodgeball?

It was a pretty exciting day. Many guys showed up with sweatbands, funky jersies, even mouthguards - ready to play the most intense game ever. And after almost two and a half hours of play, Ryan's team won the championship! We got a pile of coupons of restaurants around here which we will use to go and celebrate our victory with the entire team. And they even got medals. It was pure sweetness! It definitely took me back to being ten years old and playing line tag, four square, and tetherball ... ahh the memories.

Oh, and he was definitely sore the next day. But it was well worth it. Even though we didn't get pictures, we hear there's another tournament coming up soon where the guys can defend their title. We'll keep you posted.

the new home!

Ryan and I would like to make an announcement ... ... After six months of living in Ohio, we finally have a real living room! This may sound silly to those of you who are unfamiliar with our previous situation. To help you feel just as excited as we are, let me tell you about it! Quick recap: here is our living room when we first moved in:

Once boxes were cleared (organized was more like it), we had one place to sit down: our large love-sac-wanna-be. The only other thing in the room was a coat rack. We searched garage sales, craig's list, furniture stores, and second-hand stores until we got a couple of screaming deals ($10 hide-a-bed couch, $5 TV stand unit, and moving boxes turned up on their sides to create some very rustic and natural looking bookshelves) and bought ourselves some time until we found what we really wanted.

We eventually found couches that we liked, and then made a stop at IKEA on our way out to PA for the ski trip to buy a bookshelf and other fun items! This picture does not do it justice whatsoever, but I tried to capture the feeling. The boxes that held the bookshelf were just a few inches longer than we had anticipated ... and since we were also carpooling with our friends and had to fit four bodies plus gear into our Jeep, our stop at IKEA made the car ride a little bit tighter than expected!!

So use the picture above and your imagination: Ryan's seat is as far forward as it could go. His knees were touching the dashboard. The wheel blocked his view of the speedometer, thus making him lower the wheel as much as possible causing him to hold his arms at a 90 degree angle the entire drive. Additionally, there was no head rest other than the box - if he tried to check his blind spot too quickly it was a painful reminder that there really was no head room! Thankfully, we made it home safe and sound!

And here is the result!! Our lovely living room with actual pictures on the wall - it's amazing! I still get surprised walking into our house and realizing that people actually live here!! It's awesome! There are still a few additional items needed (curtains and baskets) ... but this is the most complete it's ever been and we are so excited!! Yay for having a real home! :)