The boys who have my heart <3

I received this picture in the mail from my sister for Valentine's Day... I cannot wait to see them in 2 weeks from today!!!!

How I will ever love anyone else as much as I love these two? I have no idea... Good thing, love isn't something that you run out of :)

Craziness continued...

So since the last post, life has definitely been interesting. School has been school. The first week back from tests is always fun because we get to play a lot, but after this week, I will be back to studying as usual. Oh, and while walking Joee, on Thursday, after dissecting the shoulder (most boring body part ever), I took a wrong step and hurt my knee once again. LOL, so I am back to wearing my brace...

When people see me with it on, this is how the conversation goes...

Person: What did you do?
Me: I hurt my knee walking my dog. I'm not sure what is wrong with it yet.
Person: Oh, man that must be a big dog to have hurt your knee.
Me: No (looking away embarrassed) he is actually a weiner dog... sigh
Person: ... (No response but laughter)

Yes, it has been a little bit embarrassing and even more of a pain. I have to say though, I am so blessed in every possible way. If a bum knee is what I have to deal with right now, then it is what is best for me.

So, Gaby and I sat in my apartment with my leg propped up and ice all over it, watching Grey's Anatomy and going over Microbiology all night... Richie, being the athletic trainer that he is, came over and performed all kinds of tests on me. With all of the tests and three 3/16 doctors, we were still not able to diagnose what exactly is wrong. I have another MRI on Wednesday which should tell me whether anything is really damaged.

On Friday, Phil and I went to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo... which was really entertaining.

We were able to view all of the events... from bull riding to mutton busting (which is my absolute favorite). Watching the bull riders get hurt though was a little traumatizing, mostly because I am getting to know the human body so well. Therefore, when the bull stomps on the rider's spleen, I see a ruptured spleen instead of him just getting stomped on. So while everyone else is cringing over a broken rib... My mind is going through all of the possibilities that we learn about (internal hemorraging, lacerated bowel, ruptured spleen, etc.) It was a great time though.

After the rodeo, the Goo Goo Dolls had a concert. It was really enjoyable because it was laid back and it was nice to just be able to sit and listen to the music. They played a song that I haven't heard for awhile, but that I love. It's called Better Days and I posted the lyrics because I think they are beautiful.

And you asked me what I want this year
and I try to make this kind and clear
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
'cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
and designer love and empty things
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

I need some place simple where we could live
and something only you can give
and that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive
and the one poor child who saved this world
and there's ten million more who probably could
if we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight
and somehow stop this endless fight
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

All in all, Friday night was a night that I will definitely remember because of all the new experiences.

Saturday, as all girl's know, was Valentine's Day. I had to work all evening and I decided to turn it into a girl's day for me. Gaby and I went out to lunch at Carraba's and went to see He's Just Not That Into You... that movie is hilarious and I think the underlying message that it sends to women is a great one (basically, that when a guy wants to be with you he will jump through hoops in order to. If he isn't going out of his way and making an effort, then do you really want to be with him?), but it also views men through warped glasses. It is filled with men cheating and lying to get what they want. While I may be naive about this one, I believe that men can be faithful, that they can have a great marriage and be good husbands, and that they are not only driven by sex. Again, I may be naive, but I would rather be naive than see all men in that light. Anyway, that is a little off topic.

After the movie I rushed into work, where I ran around like a mad women for 8 straight hours. I have never talked to so many people in my life in that span of time. It was absolutely ridiculous... Plus, I was gimping around with my leg in a brace, which made it even more absurd.

Needless to say, Alys and I wanted to have fun after dealing with snotty couples all night. Hearing that it was a great band, we cruised over to a bar in NW SA where the Spazmatics were playing. This band is terrific and hilarious. First, they are an 80's cover band that play songs that everyone knows and loves. Second, they dress from the 80's as well. Yes, their outfits are complete with ninja turtle backpacks, pocket protectors, spinning hats, short shorts, and oh so much more. Alys and I had a blast. This is a picture of them on stage.

Valentine's Day turned out to be such a memorable day. I had a great time with everyone I saw and enjoyed it completely. The only downside to all of it was that I didn't get to see my valentine. But, I love that we both can enjoy being apart as well as together.

Today was a noteworthy one as well. Phil and I ventured up to New Braunsfels to the African Safari Park (I'm pretty sure that is not the name of it though). It is this place where you are able to drive through the grounds and see the free roaming animals from your car. There were animals from all over the world and you could feed them from your car! It was fabulous. Anyone who knows how much I love animals, knows how much I enjoyed it. I am posting pics of the day here.


This is an African cow with a really cool name that I cannot remember. Look at how thick the horns are... I actually got to feed one of these and it didn't ruin Phil's Durango... I think he was grateful for that (although we both thought it would be a cool story)



This is a rhino (Phil's favorite animal). Look at it's horn... it is completely crooked. I am blaming this on captivity (I really have no idea why it is like this).



Thi is me feeding a Longhorn... I know, I know... Practically everyone reading this is most likely up in arms about me giving sustenance to their arch rival, but I thought he was cute/cuddly (actually, he was one of the only animals that would eat from my hand... you have to take what you can get).
On the other hand, Phil seemed to be somewhat of a hit with the animals (OK, this is somewhat of a lie, it took us two times through the place to get animals to eat from either of our hands...)



The Sicilian Donkey... it only grows to be 34" tall! How adorable is that... I tried to get Phil to drive off with one of these, but he insisted that if we were going to steal an animal, it was going to be a rhino...

It was a splendid day :)

Now, I'm at home with Joee snoring next to me and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow will be dedicated COMPLETELY to studying... Don't worry, I am still serious about school... this weekend is an exception to the rule. LOVE YOU!

Oh the craziness...

So, this weekend was definitely a celebration. Who knew that med students could play so much?

Well, let's recount what I can remember...

Friday, after testing, I went home and cleaned my apartment... it gets pretty dirty during test time. Then, I went out to a party with Richie and some other guys from med school. About ten of my classmates are going to Ethiopia for the summer and so in order to raise money, they threw an "Afri-kegger". Yes, that was its name... and to top it off, they got all of the alcohol donated from local businesses! Only medical students can pull that off. So, anyways, you paid ten dollars at the door and had access to alcohol, karaoke, flip cup, dancing, and the other med students who had suffered through the week of testing.

Well, I encountered a deadly mixture of alcohol... "jungle juice" or "trash can punch"... whatever you want to call it... It was a very bad idea to drink it. I thought it was just rum and punch, so I grabbed some, and after a glass, I was done. Richie later informed me the it had all five of the clear alcohols in it including everclear. It was definitely an interesting night.
But, it was an even more interesting morning. Of course, the one day I am completely sick from the concoction called "jungle juice" is the one day that I will have a three hour meeting at work. It was horrible! My stomach was so upset that I couldn't even keep water down... I've never been that sick in my life, and never want to feel that bad again!
This picture is exactly how I felt... never again will I drink something without knowing what is in it... It was horrible.

Finally, after laying on the couch for quite awhile, I had to get up and get ready to go out again. The class had rented a party bus and I had told one of my coworkers that she should come, which also meant that I was obligated to go. So we went to the organizer's house, where we were informed that the monetary calculations had been performed wrong (makes you wonder how competent some of my class is LOL) and that he had rented a SCHOOL BUS instead of a party bus... Now, these are VERY different things...

This is a party bus...

and this is a school bus...VERY Different...

But, we laughed about it and got on. It was amazing. First, there is no bathroom on a school bus. This is not a great thing when there are 40 people drinking and have already "broken the seal". So, this school bus stopped about 5 times on the way to Austin (which is about 80 miles), each time with all 40 people disembarking and running into the restroom. Also, the school bus did not have a radio, so... one of the riders decided to buy a CD off of a random person getting gas. We now had a Little Wayne burn mix... which we definitely jammed out to. All of this would make it seem like a disaster, but it is honestly one of the most fun trips I have been on. If you can have fun on a school bus, with no bathroom, no radio, and an old bus driver named mike... you know that you are surrounded by great people.

We finally got to Austin, met up with Gaby, and danced the night away.

The bus ride home was a lot more tranquil... Mostly, Alys and I slept, along with everyone else. Gaby, Alys and I finally got back to my apartment around 430 am and slept until the morning. Alys was scheduled to work at noon on Sunday, but was feeling like I was on Saturday and so I went in to cover her shift. LOL... I love where I work. My managers are amazing and I spent the entire day recounting their childhoods with them. Amazing!

I ended the weekend on a great note though and got to spend a little time with Phil, the guy I'm dating, which was nice.

Then it was back to school as usual... Yesterday, we dissected an armpit... No, you did not read that wrong, we definitely dissected an armpit. Who knew that there was so much fat and such little muscle on that part of the body? But, it was cool to see the brachial plexus and the different tributaries of the major arteries and veins. It is mind boggling how many things can go wrong during development and life in general. The fact that any of us are even alive is a miracle in itself. Our God, is truly awesome... if you have any doubt in that, check out the precision with which a human body works... you will definitely change your mind.

Thankful

This morning has been one of those mornings I live for... I slept in, woke up, made a great breakfast, drank hot chocolate, and am now watching last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy, with my dog curled up next to me. sigh... this is perfect. Especially after so many hours of studying, not sleeping, and being completely stressed out. These are the days that make being in med school worth it. When you are finished with exams, knowing that you haven't failed them, and one step closer to being a doctor. Its one of those days that I am so thankful for... like so many other things in my life.

So, I thought it would be a good day to list some of the things I am grateful for... mostly to remind myself what is meaningful and good in life. Here it goes (it will be a long list, I'm being lazy and don't want to do anything else)...

1. I am grateful for having a relationship with my God that makes everything else fall into place. To know that whatever happens in medical school, relationships, and life is His will and is best for me is a comfort beyond words. It is great to know that the great times and the horrible ones are shaping me into a person that God wants me to be.

2. I am grateful for my sister, who inspires me everyday to work hard. She is a person who will fight for her family and strives for excellence. She is so patient with ALL of the boys in her house (even her husband), she has a tiny bit of money and makes it work, she makes life look beautiful even when things are going really poorly. She always hopes for the best, always loves beyond words, and enjoys life to the fullest.

3. I am thankful for my nephews. I am thankful for their innocence and for how much they love with huge hearts. I am thankful for their curiosity and for how they look at the world. I am thankful for how they make me see the world and for how they make me love more than I thought humanly possible.

4. I am thankful for my sister's marriage and the fact that its not perfect. I am thankful that she has given me an example of how to work through hard things and that they love each other so openly. I am thankful for a "big brother" who is protective of me and who calls just to see how I am doing. I am thankful that they are happy, in love, and enjoying life.
5. I am thankful for my mom and little brother. They are going through A LOT right now and they both are staying strong and persevering. My mom has always been there for me through EVERYTHING, and I am glad to be able to be there for her. She is one of my best friends and the first person I go to with bad and good news. She knows everything, pretty much while I am doing it, and supports me through it all. She lets me make my own decisions, and allows me to take on the consequences of my choices (good and bad). She is there to congratulate me and to cry to. I'm not sure what I would do if we were with different phone companies. And my little brother is my little brother. He is teaching me what it looks like for a child to grow up into an adult, and he is doing it with grace. I am impressed and proud of him.
6. I am thankful for my dad. Estoy agradecido que tu eres mi padre. Tienes una clase y corazón amoroso y eres un gran padre. Estoy agradecido que yo no entraré deuda a seguir mis sueños. Tu me has dado todo yo necesito, pero no estropear bastanteme y arruinarme. Me adoras con todo su corazón y te quiero para eso. Y yo amo que estas en Honduras y estas amando tu vida :)

7. I am grateful for my grandma and my oh so crazy family. My grandma has taught me the value of hard work and dedication. She works harder than any man I have ever met, and I have never met anyone who does not respect her. I aspire to be even a tenth of what she is. She is amazing.

8. I am thankful for my best friend (and her husband). They have supported me through very bad decisions, very good ones, and all those in between. They have shown me another example of a godly marriage and i love them with all of my heart. Its great to know that you will have people that will be in your life FOREVER, whether they like it or not (Well, only if i don't burn their house down with a curling iron). I am excited to watch their kids grow up, and to sit on the porch with shotguns with Bethanne, when both of our husbands have passed on, laughing about the lives we have lived. These two are wise (and my conscience, sometimes) and they love me unconditionally, what more could you ask for?

9. I love all of my ridiculous friends.
From my heterosexual lifemate LOL and my travel buddy

To my roommate, and the mom of my dog (Yes, we took Joee to the Grand Canyon... it was one of the more sane things we did together)

To the coolest DI in the marine Corps (and the coolest former DI in the MC)

To two of the most loving people I know

And a crazy girl who can get me do practically anything

To the most ridiculous mom and the most beautiful baby girl

To my wonderful tankmates and med school family

To a boy who makes me laugh with his ridiculous sarcasm

And finally to a boy that will definitely be corrupted by the end of medical school...
10. Finally, I am grateful for a great guy who is kind, loving, and brings me flowers... flowers that are still going strong after a week and a half of being neglected LOL... I'm excited to see what will happen with it.

There's oh so much more, but I am TIRED of writing and feel I should be doing something. I'll update you later on with my life! Love you!

Blogging

So, I decided to start a blog for my dad. Mostly since he is living in Honduras and I am in medical school and our conversations go something like this...

Dad: Hey.. how are you?
Me: Dad, how much is this call costing? I'm good... still in medical school... Alright, we better hang up since this is an international call.
Dad: It really isn't that expensive, Lydia
Me: Well, I actually have to go to school/study/work/sleep
Dad: OK, update me on your life.

So, this is my way of updating him, and anyone else who is interested, on my life. Which, being in med school is not that interesting. But, oh well. It will make me remember how fun/hard/disturbing school is.

Right now we are on a marathon of tests. One everyday, for six days. It's like hell week for the med students... no sleep, no interaction with anyone but the people in my class, no TV, no time, no fun. Just studying all hours of the night. I have to keep reminding myself that I am going to be a doctor and that it is all going to be worth it in the end. But, I have now made it through 4 of the 6 tests and feel like I may be getting the hang of all of this (this feeling will be gone in about 20 minutes when I start studying physio).

Needless to say, I am very excited for this weekend. The class rented a party bus and is heading up to Austin to celebrate getting through hell week. I must say, we work hard, but play harder. It's hard to realize that the people I have the most fun with will one day have the lives of others in their hands, but each one is extremely intelligent and compassionate. I love the medical school here because of the people. If it wasn't for them, I would hate life.

On a good note, I completed microscopic anatomy for the year!!!! That is a very exciting statement because it was one of my least favorite classes and I ended up with a B in it. It's funny because I thought I would never finish my first year in medical school and by March I will have finished all but two of my classes.

Well, I will update this tomorrow after my physio test. If the post goes something like this... "I am now going to cry myself to sleep for the next 6 hours"... you will know that it was as horrible as I was expecting LOL... No, it should be fine... I have a good 18 hours or so to study for it :)