So, We Bought Some Dirt...

This poor lil blog of mine sure has been neglected. BUUUT, better the blog than my children, right?! You see, we've been rather busy. Hubs and I like to tackle at least three life-changing events at once. It's how we roll. So, what have we been up to? Well, besides welcoming little Miss Salem into our home, we started a new job (technically Jeremy, but I pretty much take credit and join in on all of his accomplishments), AND, we bought a lot. Of dirt. That will someday host a house. Yup, we're building a home. For the last few months, we (and by we, I pretty much mean me pretending to get Jeremy's opinion when I already had my mind made up) have been making decisions on flooring and countertops--oh, how the countertops caused me some stress, exterior stone and electrical outlets and garage doors and lighting and everything else. Our final meeting was last Friday, and that means that if I change my mind anymore, we have to start paying for my indecisiveness. Good thing I'm cheap.  That should keep me from changing my mind. We probably won't be moving in until next summer, but we are so super excited! We have been married for 13 1/2 years and have lived in seven different homes. It will be nice to stay put…and in our very own home!

print from Spell and Tell via Etsy

We Got a Bay-bee!!

Remember this post? I posted all about our desire to adopt. That same night, we had a birthmother contact us, and five months later, our baby girl was born. We welcomed Salem Reese on July 25 at 5:18 p.m. We are so very blessed to be able to finally complete our little family.  I'm not going to lie, nighttime feedings are rocking my world, which is why I haven't posted in weeks and why this post has taken me hours to write. BUT, I'd say I have a pretty good excuse for falling off the face of the earth, dontcha think?!

So, You Want to Marry a Doctor?

This weekend was exciting for our family.  Jeremy graduated from his fellowship program. This means he will start private practice in two weeks, and that we get to start paying off a whole lotta debt!  I'm pretty excited...about one of these things! 

So, here's the thing: I want you to all know I'm not complaining.  We have had some wonderful experiences, met some of our best friends, and lived in two great states. BUT, this has been freaking hard at times!  I am so proud of my husband, and I wanted to share our 13-year, non-sugarcoated adventure in getting to this point.  So there I was...

I started dating my husband in December of 2000. My attraction to Jeremy had nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to be a doctor, but I'll be honest, to my 20-year-old self, it was a major bonus. Little did I know that wanting to be a doctor, being a doctor, and actually making money as a doctor are all completely different. Oh, so different.

This is the crazy, long-boarding, bleached blonde, baggie pant-wearing guy I met in college. He could be a doctor, right? I mean, he obviously has no problem with open wounds and blood.  Or taking pictures of himself before he goes to the ER after a longboard crash.

When Jeremy and I married in May of 2001, he had completed one year of school. One. Year. After lots of studying, testing, moving, training, paying, working, and a-la-ah-ott of debt, we are almost done. Yes, in just 13 short years, you, too, can be married to a doctor! 

The Undergrad Years (2000-2004) | Brigham Young University | Provo, UT
During your third year of undergrad, you take the MCAT, which is the test you have to take to get into medical school. (This is another post for another time, but, I should mention that the day Jeremy took the MCAT was just a few days after we found out I was diagnosed with cancer.) The test is an eight hour test and costs $.  Once you get your results back, you start applying to schools all over the country. Of course, each application costs $.  If they like your first application, you fill out a secondary application, which costs even more. If they like your secondary application, you will fly out to each school to interview. Flights, rental cars, and hotels are, of course, on your own dime.

These are some of Jeremy's MCAT books and papers.  We were pretty excited to get rid of them!

The Medical School Years (2005-2009) | Medical College of WI | Wauwatosa, WI
Remember that little cancer thing? Well, medical school doesn't even wait for that. You HAVE to be there for the first day. Yes, even if your wife is in the hospital in Utah undergoing a stem-cell transplant. You either start on time, or wait a year. We decided to start on time.  Jeremy moved across the country to start medical school while I was sick and bald in the hospital. I met him out there five weeks later.

Medical school is kind of rough. You never see your husband. Jeremy spent more time studying than I spent at a full-time job. The first two years is primarily classroom training, and the second two are spent rotating through various specialties. This is usually about the time when said husband becomes addicted to Mountain Dew to get through 30+ hour shifts and long nights studying.  This is also when my hate of the pager came about. (That thing is so inconsiderate!) Medical school costs LOADS of money, and you move far away from your family. The good news? We absolutely loved our time in Milwaukee and met friends we will have forever. Somewhere in these years, you take some board exams--Step 1 and Step 2. These tests are hundreds of dollars, but it gets worse…there are more! During medical school, you apply to residencies. A residency is where you receive your specialty training--so for Jeremy, residency was anesthesiology training. 

Medical school graduation--this was year 8 of 13 for us.

Again, you apply and fly out to interviews. This usually happens any time from October - January. You submit a rank list of the programs you interviewed at into some magical system, and the programs rank you as well. And then you wait.  You wait until March something, which is Match Day. On Match Day, you go into a room with all of the other students in your class and their families. They call each name, and one by one, you go get your envelope, open it, and find out where you will be spending the next 3-5+ years of your life. This is when we found out we matched for an internship in Milwaukee and a residency in St. Louis.

The Internship (2009-2010) | St. Joseph's Hospital | Milwaukee, WI
As an intern, you work a lot of hours and get paid very little--but you don't pay tuition; instead, you get to accrue a ridiculous amount of interest on your medical school loans that you can't afford to make payments on.   Interns can write prescriptions and do doctor stuff, so that's a bonus. You get three weeks of vacation.  You submit your vacation requests the year prior, and you have to take them a full week at a time. You can't just take off a random day. During Jeremy's internship, Stella was born. But, because she was born in a non-vacation month, Jeremy didn't get to attend her birth in Utah. (This is when I learned that paternity leave doesn't really exist during medical training--unless you want your husband's life to be miserable with his attending. OR, if you really pushed for paternity leave, you just prolong your misery training.)  One thing you learn very quickly during medical school is that they don't make exceptions. Ever...even if you adopt a baby in Utah, and you live in Wisconsin. This is also a good time for me to mention that being a medical wife means doing almost everything on your own, never knowing what your husband's schedule will be for more than a few weeks at a time, and that celebrating birthdays and holidays on the wrong day is okay to do.

This is the day Jeremy met Stella. It was the day after she was born.  He caught a flight from Milwaukee to Salt Lake City after he had completed a thirty hour shift. He flew back out to Milwaukee three days later for another shift. Stella and I stayed in Utah for about a week after that waiting for the adoption paperwork to process, so that we could leave the state.

If your baby gets hospitalized during medical training, you are lucky if your hubs is rotating at the hospital next to the children's hospital, so he can come visit in between shifts.

Residency (2010-2013) | Washington University | St. Louis, MO

During residency, you work as a physician and still get paid very little. Again. Jeremy's residency was three years. During your last year, you apply to fellowships. Same drill as before: more applications, more flying to interviews, mo money. (Hey, I lived in Milwaukee AND St. Louis, I had to slip a little bit of gangsta in there!)

During some rotations, we would visit Jeremy at the hospital. You never knew when the pager would go off, and your little date would end!

Residency made all of us tired! I have no idea how Jeremy survived on so little sleep!

Stella had to get tear duct surgery done twice during residency. Luckily, Jeremy was able to meet us at the children's hospital after his overnight shifts. Who needs sleep, right?! 

This picture was taken at Jeremy's residency graduation. We were pretty excited to be going back to Utah to complete just one more year of training and say good-bye to overnight shifts forever!

Fellowship (2013-2014) | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT
This is where we are, now--for just two more weeks! (EEEEEE!!!) A fellowship is sub-specialty training. Jeremy is sub-specializing in interventional pain management. (He treats patients with chronic pain, and rumor has it, he's a really good doctor, so feel free to send him some patients! Haha! No, really.) During fellowship, you take more boards and spend thousands more on both a written and oral board exam. The oral board is offered in only one city in the US, so, you guessed it, more money for travel and hotels. During fellowship is also when you try to find a job, which is an emotional roller coaster of not knowing where you're family is going to end up.

SO...after all of that, Mr. Jeremy will be joining a private practice here in Salt Lake City, UT. He will have to take a pain management board exam at some point, and then he has to take his anesthesiology and pain management boards every ten years. Are you wondering what all this fun costs?  Medical school tuition ranges anywhere from $50,000-$300,000+, depending on where you go. (Unfortunately, we're on the high end of that range.) Everything outside of tuition (exams, books, travel, applications, licensing, moving, etc.), is probably about $15,000+. Was it worth it? I think so, but ask us in five years! ;)

My little family. I'm kind of proud of us, especially the guy in the middle!

Don't get me wrong. For every negative, I could have definitely named a positive that came from this experience. We have absolutely loved this journey, but we kind of didn't know what we were in for, and I'm still finding out! So, if you've made it to the end of this post, here is my advice: never say that a doctor makes too much money, AND if you ever date a boy who wants to be a doctor, beware! (I joke, I joke…)

Oh, Monday...

Well, it's Monday again. I have to say, I get a little bit sad every Sunday night knowing that Monday is coming, but I guess it's nice to get back to my weekly routine. For me, Mondays are for cleaning and doing laundry; they are not for showering or changing out of my workout clothes, and make-up and hair, well, that's just ridiculous on a Monday (and sometimes on a Tuesday). My little Monday routine is no secret. One of my girlfriends texted me last Monday and wanted to meet me for lunch. She said that she knew Mondays were my cleaning day, but I could come in my workout clothes. On another Monday, I actually had to get ready for something, and when my neighbor saw me outside, he wanted to know why I was ready on a Monday.  Last week was practically five days of Mondays, because I was in major organize/go through every single drawer, closet, and basket, and throw things away mode, and let me tell you, I think Hubs was pretty darn happy when he came home Friday afternoon to a clean, dressed wife. Really, it's the little things in life--like a wife who washes her hair at least once a week...

C.D.O.

So, I think I am OCD. There are many reasons that have brought me to this conclusion: I always make sure the trash on my computer is empty; I can't stand when I iPhone or iPad has updates; I'm always lining up the dining room chairs just right (there is only one way); and I make sure the papers on my desk are lined up at a 90 degree angle. The list goes on (and on). When I taught second grade, once upon a time, it would drive me crazy if the desks weren't straight, so I would straighten them. With the kids still in them. So this, among other things, leads me to believe I may have some teeny, tiny issues. The worst, however, is when something goes missing in our home, like a game piece or part of one of Stella's toys. I absolutely drive myself crazy trying to find it. I mean, heaven forbid we have a toy that is missing a piece, because then we might as well just throw it away. Well, yesterday, a Scrabble tile went missing. I looked ALL over the place for that thing. Of course, Hubs was like, "I'm pretty sure you can just order a new one." Not the point…that tile is in this house somewhere! People, I spent hours looking for tile number 100. (I swear, it's even worse if there is just one missing.) But, alas, I found it. (It was the letter M, in case you were wondering.) And now, I can sleep.

P.S. I wish this was my bathroom. Nothin's gettin' lost in that baby.

image from House & Home

image from Digerati

Happy Easter!

Happy (early) Easter from my favorite little bunny! We're off to Texas…wish us luck on the longest. Road trip. Ever.

Sugar Cookies You NEED to Make. Right. Now.

I've been a bit of a blog slacker this week, and I blame this recipe from Mandi @ Vintage Revivals. Stella is always begging me to make sugar cookies, and I always distract her with something else, so that I don't have to.  I finally made them with her, and wow, these things are game changers, people. They. Are. To. Die. For. Seriously. I am such a sugar cookie snob, and these passed my test with flying colors. I even ate more than one just to make sure. (You're welcome.) We made them on Monday, which is why there was no post on Tuesday. I had a TON of frosting left over, so, of course, I had to make them again tonight. I've been sharing them with friends and neighbors, so I can totally trick them into thinking I'm the next Martha Stewart.  I think it's working. 

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up in String | A Baby Gift

Our dear friends just welcomed their first baby. I love buying baby clothes, because, well, let's be honest, every piece of clothing is like a million times cuter when it's miniature. But, instead, we decided to send some of our favorite things. I wrapped each gift, and made a card that read: Brown paper packages tied up in string; these are a few of our favorite things.

Here are the gifts we chose (well, I actually chose them all, but you get the drift). What is your favorite baby gift to give/get?

Hush Little Baby Print by J is for Jordy via Etsy

Baby Leggings with Ruffles (similar to these) from Me

Board Book from Stella

Board Book from Stella

Baby's First Doctor Kit from Jeremy

Just Like Bacon...

Ok, sorry for being MIA and leaving you hanging after a big dramatic post (and for not really posting today). Stella has been sick all week, and each day I think that I am going to get tons done like cleaning out closets and labeling and fun stuff like that. (I seriously think that stuff is fun.) But, with statements like "I don't like being a sick kid anymore," and "Mom, I just want you," I really can't pull myself away from her. Let's hope tonight involves a full night of sleep and tomorrow a recovery. 

Anyway…I just had to stop by to say thank you. You guys…I can't thank you enough for your kind words and for sharing our adoption message. I was seriously so overwhelmed with emotion as I read each comment on my post and even more kind words on your Facebook posts when you shared our profile. A lot. It means so much. It just made my day and made me grateful to have so many people who care about us. And on that note…I'd like to leave you with one final thought (and let's just all try to ignore the fact that it has absolutely no punctuation):

Our Adoption Profile…And a Favor

I'm not even sure why it's hard for me to write this post. I think it's something to do with the fact that I don't like to ask for help, nor do I like feeling vulnerable; more accurately, I don't like feeling vulnerable in front of people. Adopting a child does that to you, though. You find out that you can't have children at all, and then you wait and wait and hope that a birthmother chooses you to raise her child. Once you get chosen, you try to prepare, and you get excited, but not too much, because you never know if you will actually take that baby home. It's scary and stressful and wonderful all at the same time.

When Stella was about two, we decided to adopt again.  And then we waited. We waited a year before we were selected by a birthmother who was pregnant with a baby girl. We were cautiously optimistic, definitely more unsure of the situation this time around. But, we still planned to add a new baby girl to our family. As you know, we didn't get that baby girl. The birthmother changed her mind when the baby was born. So, I packed up the little hospital outfit we had purchased, and we started over.

So, here we are two years later, waiting again. Our very first caseworker told us to use social media to let everyone know we are hoping to adopt. We didn't do that this time, though…because, well, no one wants to feel vulnerable. In front of people. And even though your loved ones have your best interest at heart, it's sometimes hard to give the same answer over and over to their questions: No. There's no news to report. No baby. But, I've come to realize that even if there's the slightest chance that there's someone out there who knows someone who knows someone, feeling a little bit vulnerable is totally worth it. 

We couldn't be more grateful for the life we have been given and the blessings that we have received. We love our little Stella so much, and even if things don't turn out the way we want, we will always focus on what we have rather that on what we want.  If you could please share our adoption profile on your social media and get the word out, we will be forever grateful.  Thank you for your help. Here is our profile. 

All image from Brittni Schroeder Photography

Thankful

I couldn't let November pass without publicly expressing my gratitude. November is a particularly special month, because it is National Adoption Awareness Month and the same month we were blessed with our daughter Stella.

I am very blessed, and I've always felt that way. I have always known that the Lord has been very aware of me, and that he has provided me with countless blessings. But, November 23, 2009, was more than a blessing, it was a miracle. 

In a world where so many choose to avoid consequences; a world where wrong is right; and a world of laisser faire attitudes, there are still miracles. We personally witnessed the miracle of a young woman, who in a situation beyond her control, decided to carry Stella. She courageously carried her for nine months. For us, she gave us the greatest gift: a child; for Stella, the gift of life.  I will always be grateful for this remarkable woman and for her sacrifice and example to so many.  I am also grateful for the road that led us to her.  It wasn't one that we ever would have imagined (or wanted), but it was the path that our Heavenly Father laid out for us--one that gave us strength, courage, and the blessings of so many angels constantly by our sides. The Lord so eloquently and graciously places these people in our lives--people we learn from, people who make a significant impact, and people we will always love. And for this, I am thankful.

image from Brittni Schroeder Photography

image from The Fresh Exchange

The Great Wall of Stella | My Gallery Wall

Yes, the great wall of Stella is up. This larger than life display of our little princess is proof once again, that she's kind of a big deal (around here at least)! If you missed the post on how to hang this gallery wall, go here.

Aaaand, We're Off!

It's moving day, and we're off to Utah! One thousand, three hundred twenty miles of, well...driving. Lots and lots of driving. Follow us along the way on instagram. I'm sure it will just be the most fun ever (sense the sarcasm). Wish us luck! Catch ya on the flip side!

image from QA Design via Etsy

Before & After | My House

You know those great blogs that have those epic room makeovers? Well, you are in for a treat, folks. Check out these before and afters, and don't be too jealous of the glamour and glitz I'm currently living in. One more week...just one more week until we move this mess west.

P.S. I think everyone else in the house secretly loves it, because a)they would both prefer putting their shoes in a pile NEXT to the shoe basket instead of in it (someone was in SUCH a hurry to pack that basket), and b)who wants to lie on the couch or chair when there's a pile of perfectly good cardboard on the floor? One week...

House Hunters: Salt Lake City, UT

Let me just start off by saying that watching House Hunters is way better than living it in real life. On Friday, I had my search posse look at three different homes. I had them look at my favorite first...and I loved it. I was then hoping that the other two were totally lame. The third one was definitely lame, but the second one was good. It was bigger, and it had a two car garage. It was really nice, but I just wasn't in love with it. The first one had a one car garage, BUT it also had a pool, hot tub, and clubhouse--not things that we were looking for, but definite bonuses. To make a long story short, there was some major stressing, some input by friends, and we went with the home I loved. In other words, I traded Mr. Hubs' garage space for hard wood floors, a fireplace, and a home where we would be the first residents. Have I ever mentioned how good he is to me? Don't get me wrong, he liked this one, too.  

We submitted our application and paid the deposit, and the property manager said she would run the credit and background checks first thing on Monday. I was thinking, seriously, can we not just get this over with? Obviously, we are the perfect tenants! Well, first thing Monday morning passed, and then noon, and then afternoon, and I was totally starting to overanalyze thinking that someone either stole our identity and ruined our credit, or that my husband committed some crime I wasn't aware of. I called and left a message, totally trying to sound breezy (like Monica), but inside I was freaking out. She finally called back, and said everything looked great. I wanted to say, would have been nice to know that eight hours ago, but instead, I totally played it cool. It's official: we're not homeless, and even though, my wonderful mother-in-law and wonderful mother were secretly hoping we would be able to live with them for a few days (you know it's true), I'm really glad we have a home! Here are a few pics of the new pad!

[in five]: Things Mr. Hubs Will Never Understand

I have the best husband. Like really, the BEST husband. Just the fact that he puts up with my decorating shenanigans--and even helps me with them (i.e. the purchases, returns, selling, and delivering of four couches all in one year) should alone earn him the Husband of the Year Award. On top of that, he helps me around the house. He is such a hands-on daddy. He even goes to the mall with me. He tells me thank you for things like cleaning the house, doing the laundry, being a good mommy, and making dinner (when and if that happens). Plus, he fills up my car with gas and has done so for 12 years. He's pretty much the best thing ever. He gets me, except on a few things...

1| When I try to play the Guess How Much This Cost Me game, you're not supposed to guess so low. Every now and again I do find a bargain. I like to make a big deal out of it. Humor me.

2| There is no such thing as too many pillows, too many baskets, or too many shoes. It's kind of the same way you think about guns, golf clubs, and tools, even though you're wrong.  Let's just agree to disagree.

3| I know that you know a lot of big words, and that you need to talk fancy at work. But really, do you need to tell our three year old not to swallow toothpaste, because swallowing fluoride can be nephrotoxic? Nerd. 

4| I will never be done decorating the house. Ever.

5| Let's just get one thing straight: no matter how much I complain, I am not going to quit my job, confront someone who's bothering me, or tell someone how I really feel. I just want to complain to you.

And on that note, here is THE funniest video I've seen in a long time...enjoy!

Remembering Our Heroes...

12 Years In the Making

Today, there were two things in the mail: a letter from Jeremy's medical school asking for donations, and his residency graduation invitation. The first letter went straight to the garbage--how about we wait until the hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans we gave to you for tuition stops accruing interest, we actually pay it off, and then have nowhere else to donate to. Then, you can ask us for money, mmmkay? Obvi, I was more excited about the other thing: the residency graduation invitation.

This has been 12 years in the making. TWELVE! Here's the quick version (You can go here for a more detailed version on my other blog.): Four years of undergrad in Utah, four years of medical school and a one year internship in Milwaukee, and a three year residency in St. Louis. (We also threw in a couple bouts with cancer and an adoption to make things more interesting.) We will also complete a one year fellowship back in Utah. (HOORAY!!). So, here we are in year 12--four weeks away from being done. I am so proud of Mr. Hubs, and I am so proud of US.  I pretty much like to take credit for all of his accomplishments; after all, I did let him practice putting IVs in my hands while he was in undergrad. Wife. Of. The. Year. You're welcome, Jeremy (and all of the patients who have received epidurals, spinals, central lines, nerve blocks, and whatever other things he does with needles.) And, I know you don't read this, but just in case I make you...I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!

image by Brittni Schroeder Photography | Gateway Arch | September 2012

Medical College of Wisconsin Graduation | May 2009

Stella's Birth | November 23, 2009

Stella Visiting Daddy at BJC | February 2011

Stella Playing Doctor | April 2011

image by Brittni Schroeder Photography | Forest Park, St. Louis | October 2011

What $1300 Will Buy You

Remember that one day when I took my Mr. Hubs' car to the dealership, and it needed over $1200 worth of work done to it? And then, the very next day, I got a ticket for $100 and a picture of me running a red light in the mail? And, remember when I could have sworn that when Mr. Hubs opened that piece of mail, he kind of grinned, because he was happy that it was me and not him this time? Remember when I made that grin go away as soon as I reminded him that this was the only ticket I'd gotten since we've been married, and that he's had...a few more? That was my Friday and Saturday. Don't even get me started on everything and anything else that I could have spent that money on. Car problems and tickets are definitely at the top of my list of things I hate to spend money on.  So, what will $1300 buy you? For you, any one of these three things. For me? A red light ticket and car repairs. Ugh. You win some, you lose some, right?!

image from Restoration Hardware

image from Anthropologie

image from Crate & Barrel