7 Quick Takes, Vol. 73

Joining Jen et all for 7 Quick Takes.

1. I knew it was coming . . . but I've been in denial. I can't deny it any longer. We've reached the point where I had to lock down (ok, just put a password on) my phone, because I was tired of finding this in my photos all.the.time. And we hadn't even hit the "sending random text messages" phase.

How avant garde is her foot obsession?

2. I've also (finally) made the decision to start "watermarking" my photos on the blog. I know that it doesn't provide any real security (cropping, etc.), but I feel like it at least demonstrates proprietary intent with regards to them. Anyway, that's the deal. The blog is due for a few more tweaks that will hopefully be rolling out in the next few weeks. The "About" page, in particular, needs some serious updating!

3. These two crack me up. The other day, I had Peter on the floor while I was getting Clare up. When she and I were done, she ran into the living room, announcing, "Baby Peter, I will play a you!" So sweet. And yes, "a" refers to most all prepositions. Crazy kiddo!

4. Yesterday we finally were able to get my car re-registered to Kansas. It has been one thing after another, and adding Charles' not flexible schedule and the tag office closing at 3:30 (yeah), it turned into a real comedy of errors. It felt so good to finally get it off our plates! I guess that means I'm officially a Kansan.

5. Charles accidentally left his name badge in my purse yesterday afternoon. It was one of those moments. He put it in there, because he (shockingly) didn't want to wear it at the DMV. I knew it was a bad idea. He knew it was a bad idea. I got the 6 am phone call to bring it down when the kids wake up, so I guess I'll be making my first hospital trip of residency later this morning.

6. It has otherwise been an . . . interesting week to say the least. Between the news in Iraq, the brouhaha over Robin Williams' death (Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord), poor Charles' ridiculous rotation, and everything else that seems to be piling up in the world, I'm glad for Friday. And the fact that it's a Sunday-on-a-Friday? Even better!!

7. On that note, Happy Feast of the Assumption! (And if you're not Catholic and are interested in learning more, the Wikipedia entry has the basics.)

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 69

Boo to another week without much happening on ye ol' blog. But . . . I do have a couple of drafts that I'm still tweaking. Plus, things seem to be settling into a more normal rhythm around here, so that's good for the blog as well. :) Linking up with Jen for my Friday update of a post. :)

1.Charles has had another week of orientation. I am pretty sure he's sick-to-death of orientation. So much sitting and listening. Next week is finally his first week of residency rotations. He's ready and us at home, we're as ready as we'll ever be. I know it won't be all fun and games, but we might as well get on with it. :)

2. One annoying things that has hampered my blogging the last couple of weeks (besides, you know, moving) has been the ridiculously poor quality of our internet connection. Our frustration was mounting badly then on Monday, after we got everything up and running again (see #3, below), we couldn't get the TV or the internet going. So, after two calls, plenty of time on hold, lots of resets, and an over-the-phone diagnosis, a tech came out to see what was wrong. And, lo, the tech who did our initial installation did really shoddy work. Tech #2 fixed all of the poor work and BAM! services up and running again!

3. We've started tackling Operation Freshen up the House by tackling the project that is the living room. We scraped the ceiling of it's popcorn glory on Sunday. (And by "we" I mean Charles, while I chased the kiddos.) Monday we started painting and replaced some light fixtures. We didn't finish (this weekend, hopefully-maybe!), so you'll have to wait for before and after glory, but we feel good to be really making this house feel like home.

A before preview

4. Added to the to-do list: buy brown sugar. I was all set yesterday afternoon to make my inaugural batch of chocolate chip cookies in the new house when . . . I realized I haven't bought brown sugar yet. I had the stuff to pull together some peanut butter cookies, but I had wanted chocolate chip. Talk about First World Problems.

5. Diva Clare decided to wear sunglasses to breakfast the other day. No, I don't have my hands full. Not at all.

Filter via Instagram

6. Speaking of my little diva darling, I took her to story time at the library on Tuesday. There was a misunderstanding on my part about where it would be (because it wasn't in the children's section where I expected it), and Clare refused to go. She just wanted to sit at a table and read books instead.  Then she wanted to read all the book in the grown up section when I went to find something for myself, and gave me a chance to practice alphabetizing. Goofy little bookworm.

7. I'm going to try really, really hard not to talk about the weather every.single.week, but ohmygosh, a little weather talk is inevitable. But I'm still charmed by actual weather changes, and enjoyed a cool, rainy day yesterday.

This is how rain makes me feel.

Have a lovely weekend!

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 68

Finally Friday (errrr...Saturday) -- linking up with Kathryn of Team Whitaker, who's filling in for Jen during her vacation.

1. I'm finally feeling reoriented to time and place after a crazy-cakes last week. There was an overall (un)pleasant 16 hour drive with two kids in a mini-van, the unusual experience of arriving at/moving into a house I had only seen via FaceTime, and the always very (un)pleasant task of unpacking all those boxes we spent so many hours packing. Big thank you to my dad and Rhonda for their help driving us out here!

Wichita or Bust -- from somewhere in NM

2. The key to feeling settled in a house: the kitchen is totally unpacked and put together. It doesn't matter that there is still no art on the walls or that the crib is still in pieces in the nursery. I can made dinner and do dishes and put things away. I feel complete.

Now to decide what color to paint that wall.

3. We're able to still have the crib disassembled, because Clare has moved to a twin. We'd been building up for weeks the fact that, when we went to Wichita, she's get to sleep in a "bi' burl bed." So far, she's doing really well. It probably helps that her room is still mostly empty and she hasn't figured out that she can get out of the bed if she really wants to, thanks to the bed rail.

Bed unmade -- bedding in progress

4. In spite of the fact that I am 99.9% sure that this Arizona girl is going to die of humidity, we're loving being here so far. We love that there are trees and that we have a yard for the kids to run around. The previous owners of our house left swings on the trees, so Clare has been begging to "swinging" about 1 million times per day. We can walk to two different parks (provided, in the summer, that we go in the mornings). I'm trying really hard to get us out of the house and get involved, so we have that going for us, too. Since that isn't easy for me, it is definitely worth noting.

Trying the big girl swing

5. One thing that is helping me get into a groove is that Charles started residency orientation this week. I miss him when he's gone, especially on late days (and am especially especially dreading the long hours of residency), but it does let us get into more of a rhythm. So far, so good, I guess. I mean, orientation is orientation, so . . . yeah.

6. One thing hindering me from getting into a groove: daylight saving time. I know Arizona is an anomaly, but why, oh why, do people think the sun staying up until 9 at night is a good idea?!? Why?!?!? We're not in Alaska or Scandinavia. Just.not.right.

7. We have a full weekend of residency orientation social activities ahead of us. And I should probably suck it up and unpack some of those boxes in the basement. :-P

And maybe lawn mowing . . .

Have a lovely weekend!

Saying Good-bye

Tomorrow, when we pull out, we'll be saying good-bye to this chapter, to Phoenix, to family and friends.

I'll also be saying a bittersweet farewell  to a house I've called home for seven years.

It's where my sister and I were roommates, became best friends, and grew up.

We both worked our first real jobs while living here. We both met our husbands while living here.

My husband picked me up for our first date at this front door. He proposed to me in the living room. We made it our first home as man and wife.

We welcomed our firstborn home to this house on a dark, stormy night in July. I teared up showing her around. 

We welcomed our first son to this house, busting at the seams, knowing it would only be his home for a short while. It was a sunny afternoon in April, and I scurried to make sandwiches before he woke up.

I've lived a lot of life and made a lot of memories here. It has been home, and it will always have a place in my heart.

{This didn't publish when it was supposed to, so if you're just finding this, blame the technology!} 

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 67

Using 7QT for a Saturday photo dump/catch-up. Jen has more.

The last couple of weeks have been crazy, insane busy.


 

1. We packed up (most of) our stuff, and sent it off to Wichita via portable storage container.

Almost empty shelf. Who said packing was fun?

 
2. Charles' brother, Zak, came to help us with the move.

Clare helped too.

3. She has also been helping us clean before we leave Tuesday morning.

Cleaning the wall (with a paint sponge)

4. Yesterday, we drove to this little event.

Joe Cool.

5. And someone graduated!!!!

Can I get a woo hoo?!?

6. I am so, so proud of all that he has accomplished. I mean, it's a big freaking deal, and he did it.

And so happy, too.

7. This is my favorite shot of all the shots:

That's Dr. Daddy, young lady!

Have a lovely (rest of the) weekend! We've got some celebrating (and packing) to do.

Right Now

My house looks something like this:

But worse, because this was a week ago.

My hopes for knocking out a post or two during the boxing phase of moving have proven to be a bit too sky-high. Apparently, taking care of two kids, providing nourishment in some form for a family on a multiple-times-daily basis, getting interrupted sleep thanks to your newborn, and boxing up your whole life is exhausting.

Who knew?!?

Hopefully, I'll be back properly after our stuff leaves via pod on Thursday. If not, well, I'll be back soon(ish)!

See ya on the flip side.

3 Weeks

Unrelated--one kid in focus isn't bad, right?!?

3 weeks from today, we'll be on the road, somewhere between here and there.

Between Phoenix an Wichita.

Between med school and residency.

Between past and future.

Between what was and what will be.

To say it's bittersweet is too easy.

I'm feeling anxious and antsy about the moving process. I am juuuust starting to begin boxing and sorting books and clothes and odds and ends. Trying to purge and whittle and cut down. I don't know anyone who doesn't hate moving.

I'm sad to be saying good-bye. My whole life, really, has been spent in Arizona. My family is here. My memories are here. I will probably write at least a couple of pensive, reflective posts. Even when we make it back here, neither it, nor any of the people, nor I will be the same. You can never step in the same river twice.

And yet, I'm excited and eager to start our new chapter and our new adventure. After feeling like we were hanging in limbo for so long, it's freeing to finally know where we're headed and to know that we'll get to stay -- for a little while, at least. I'm excited to do it, not just talk about it. I'm excited to see how the experience changes me as a wife, as a mom, and as a person. I suspect they will be changes for the better. For the stronger.

3 weeks. And they'll be gone in the blink of an eye.