Missing those mountains

Lately as the weather is getting warmer here in RVA, I have found myself missing my mountains in Utah. Let me start by saying my home in Utah was at an elevation of 4756 feet, so while these east coast mountains are beautiful, they are about as tall as the elevation of my Utah home.

I have this craving to go to Southern Utah and hike all over the mountains, canyons and rocks there. I want to go to Brighton (base elevation 8,755 feet) and shred the mountain to pieces. I want to go camping at Aspen Grove and hike to Stewart Falls and Mountain Bike in Sundance ... 

I plan on getting my mountain fix in June when Chad and I are out there for baby bro's wedding. Until then these pictures will have to do. 

* sigh* take me back

Weekend in iPhone photos

  

  

               

aviators//pi day//someday daddy

new glasses//poe's mother//st.john's church

lds washington dc temple

Hope you guys have the most wonderful Friday.

To be completely honest

I'm a blogging slacker. I blame some of it on grad school which is giving me gray hair and sucking all the light out of my life. Thank goodness for this wonderful spring break week.

Chad and I went on a hot date to his cadaver lab Saturday night after class. Honestly, it was pretty awesome. I thought I would be grossed out, but as Chad kept telling me, "these are not people anymore." I kept that mantra on repeat as he showed me all of the parts he has dissected and guys ... I got to hold a real human heart in my hand. I'm in communications, that was truly, and honestly a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. It was thought-provoking and surreal, I honestly loved it. 

Then that handsome man of mine went all out and made Brazilian food for Sunday dinner. My heart was swooning. Feijoada, couve cozida, Guaraná and Mousse de maracujá. You guys ... this took me right back to Brazil and all the people I love who live there. Chad and I are really going to try our darndest to get back there after his Step 1 next March. 

Lastly, I would like to issue a public apology to my amazing, incredibly extraordinary husband. The last 4 weeks of grad school truly got the better of me. I apologize for being angry and cold. I apologize for not giving you the recognition you deserve for cleaning the house, doing the laundry, taking care of Hobbes and simply loving me when I know it was hard. You are my dream man and so much more than I deserve, I am the luckiest lady on this earth.

Only 60 days until I walk. 

The scrubs with HIV

My dear darling husband got to scrub in for surgery yesterday (his first time ever!) and he absolutely LOVED IT! After an M3 (third year medical student) got queasy and almost passed out the trauma surgeon Chad's been shadowing asked him to scrub in. 

The surgery was on a patient who had HIV and needed a bowel resection. 
In terms the everyday person (me) can understand ... this patient had something dying in their stomach that needed to be taken out.

Chad said it was awesome and he got to help move the patient around, hence him getting blood on his scrubs.

Later that day, I walk through our front door and notice a plastic bag laying on the floor. Not thinking much of it I give Chad and Hobbes a kiss and go about my homemaking business. After a few minutes Chad said, "oh hey don't worry about washing those scrubs, I just return them to the hospital." Me, super excited that I don't have to wash scrubs, "OK awesome." A few more minutes pass and Chad goes, "Yeah those scrubs have HIV blood on them ..."

......

I think my blood pressure went from normal to cardiac arrest status faster than a Ferrari goes from 0 to 60. 
Me, "What?!?!"
Chad ever so cooly, "Oh it's no big deal, you won't get HIV from them."

Of course right as those words left Chad's lips Hobbes starts prancing over towards the plastic bag to explore what's in it. Without having to say anything Chad gets up and suggests that he "move the HIV laden scrubs elsewhere."

Yes, that would make more sense.
I don't need an HIV infected kitty running around the house.
Med school certainly keeps us on our toes, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

A word to med school spouses ...

 

First view this ... because it is accurate 95% of the time. 

It is a well known fact that med school is no walk in the park, and the naivety of those who say it's 
"the good life" 
will drive med students and spouses mad. 

The typical med student day looks like this: 
wake at 6 am
school 8 am - 5 pm
study 5 pm - 2 am
repeat

Granted there are days when this is less or more depending on exam schedules. Recently, I have overheard med student spouses talking to first year spouses or future med school spouses about how Hellish the experience is. 

This makes me so mad. 

It might be that Chad does an excellent job of giving me the attention I need, but I think in reality being married to a med student simply is not that hard. I hate when spouses say, "I feel like a single mom," or "I haven't spoken to my husband in months," or "you will never EVER see your spouse." 

Just stop.

If I have learned anything it is that med school is what you make of it. If you want to do your spouse a "favor" by not talking to them for months so they can study, that is your choice. For Chad & I we choose to carve out time to talk with one another. We even cuddle, eat ice cream, and *gasp* watch How I Met Your Mother episodes.


Yes, there are times when it is harder to see each other, * boards anyone ? * *rotations ? *
Maybe I'm only a first year spouse, and things get harder ...
but my sweeping declaration for all future med student spouses out there, "Med school is an amazing, wonderful experience. You make it what you want, and you can in fact spend time with your spouse!"

I want to hear from YOU! Have a med student spouse? How do you find time to be with each other? How does having kids change the med school experience? (<--- really want to know about this one)

Mrs. Independent

Little known fact, I am, and I quote "fiercely independent." 

It's a joke around the house I tell Chad, "I do what I want!" Which most times is true. The only time I don't do what I want is when something is not in the best interest of our family (Chad, Hobbes and I). 

A few weeks ago Chad said something to me that had a profound effect on me and ate away at my soul.

"Hailey, you are fiercely independent, but that's not why you're here. You're here to be in a family."

Those words pierced me in a way that I will never forget them. Not in a negative way, just a way that will make me think about my real purpose and what my biggest priority should be ...