The last month or so has been really crazy for us, but Eric is officially half way done with interviews.
As mentioned in a previous post, he ended up applying to 20 places for residency. And, about as we expected/hoped for, he got offered interviews at 10. Some of the rejections were from prestigious research-heavy schools that we expected (Hopkins, Harvard, etc). Some were really surprising (UNC - apparently they have no love for their fellow North Carolinians!). But I think we're both pretty happy with the 10 that he's going on.
We tried to be as smart about scheduling as possible, which meant about one interview a week for the first 4 weeks while we were both working, then two weeks off for Thanksgiving, followed by five back-to-back at the start of Eric's vacation month.
The first five went really well. Of those, we both really liked Wake Forest (of course), Univerisity of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, and the University of Louisville. (We also visited Charleston, SC, and the University of Maryland in Baltimore -- both were okay, but not our faves.)
As of this weekend, the back-to-back interviews begin! Eric will be heading to Richmond, VA, Birmingham, AL, Providence, RI, Pittsburgh, PA, and Dallas, TX over the next two weeks. That's a crazy lot of traveling in a super short span!
(I'll only be going to Rhode Island since I don't need to be taking too much time off of work before I go out on maternity).
I'm really curious to see how this next round goes, and what our top choices will be. There's already some great cities/programs in the mix, so no matter what we know we should hopefully be able to end up somewhere we like... we'll just have to wait and see!
Family Pic
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Thankful List 2012
1. Of course, first and foremost, I'm thankful for Christ, for His sacrifice, for his ever-abiding love for his children, and for the fact that even though I fail time and time again, His love never does. Without Him, I'm nothing!
2. Eric Yates. I had no clue when we met almost 8 years ago that he'd end up being the most important person in my life - my husband, my best friend, and all-around support system. I'm SO grateful to have a husband who loves me at my worst, who has always been willing to share the load with me (especially this year with morning sickness, tiredness, and a growing belly!), who prays with me, makes me laugh and always kisses me good night. :-) I can't say enough about how grateful I am for that man!
3. Sweet Samuel wiggling inside me! It has been the funnest thing this year growing this crazy baby. He already doesn't sit still for long, so I know we're going to have a fun one. I can't wait to meet him in a few weeks!!
4. Our familia. We are SO blessed to have awesome God-fearing families on both sides. We don't get to see them as much as we would like, but it's wonderful to know we have love and support, even from miles away.
5. Skype + Cell phones. Once again, we don't get to see our family as much as we'd like, yet we can still see each other and talk every week. I always think about what it must have been like for people even a hundred years ago who moved across the country or across the world. Not only were they leaving their families behind, they were lucky if they could communicate through letters a few times a year. Things have come such a long way, and I'm thankful that, no matter where we go, we're never more than a phone call away!
6. Friends. Where would be without them??
7. Our home. I LOVE having a house. It's quirky and mismatched and definitely not where we're going to live for the rest of our lives. But it's cozy and it's comfy and warm (except upstairs where there's no heat - haha), and I'm so grateful to have a place to live that I enjoy!
8. Our neighborhood. Seriously, we are SO spoiled. We have good neighbors. Eric is less than a mile from work. We're less than a mile from the hospital where Samuel will be born. Within 2 miles we have 5 great grocery stores (including Whole Foods and Trader Joes), Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread and a host of other restaurants, and the YMCA. Yet our street is super quiet and calm. I can run anywhere and be greeted with smiles and hellos. The houses are all old, eclectic and (mostly) beautiful. It's just a fun place to live.
9. Running. I know it may seem silly, but I really do thank God all the time that I have legs to run with! Running has been cathartic for me. It helps me clear my head, deal with change, and remember that sometimes life is just as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.
10. Our church. Calvary is totally NOT the type of church we thought we'd end up at when we moved here 3 1/2 years ago (it's humongous!), but I'm SO glad we did! The people are awesome, and we can know that we will always hear the truth preached. Now it's hard for us to imagine NOT being at a huge church!
11. Food. Pregnancy has made me more grateful for food than ever! More than that, I often think about those who DON'T have food, who go without on a daily basis, both here and overseas. I haven't ever gone hungry and I'm thankful for that, but it compels me to look for ways I can aid those who do. We have so much more than what we could ever truly need. Why not share it?
12. Our health. We may be young, but I've seen all too often how things can change in the blink of an eye for anyone. I'm so thankful for 25 years of a healthy life, and for the fact that, even though we both work in super-germy places, we've managed to stay relatively illness-free the last few years!
13. My crazy cat. Conner is a mess, but he's cuddly and hilarious. He likes to hide behind things and jump out and "scare" us. He thinks our food is his food (have you ever seen a cat eat oatmeal, eggs, pumpkin, chocolate, yogurt, cereal, or mexican casserole? Because ours does. He's a pretty big fan of Dr. Pepper too. We have to constantly hide our food). He is obsessed with bags and boxes, and will drag them all over the house. When he's not being crazy, he's cuddling in our laps, trying to "kiss" us (rub his nose against our faces), or begging to be picked up. He really is a nut, but I'm thankful to have a sweet pet. I hope he adjusts okay when the baby comes!
14. My bed. Also a silly one, but seriously, it's soooo comfortable! I'm thankful to have a nice warm place to cuddle up at night.
15. Lastly, I'm thankful for FREEDOM, both politically and spiritually. I've been blessed to grow up in a country where I can decide for myself what I think about things, where I can worship God as I choose, and where I can pursue my dreams without inhibitions. It's easy to forget that these are things that haven't always been true for everyone, and I hope that I can make the most of them.
4. Our familia. We are SO blessed to have awesome God-fearing families on both sides. We don't get to see them as much as we would like, but it's wonderful to know we have love and support, even from miles away.
5. Skype + Cell phones. Once again, we don't get to see our family as much as we'd like, yet we can still see each other and talk every week. I always think about what it must have been like for people even a hundred years ago who moved across the country or across the world. Not only were they leaving their families behind, they were lucky if they could communicate through letters a few times a year. Things have come such a long way, and I'm thankful that, no matter where we go, we're never more than a phone call away!
6. Friends. Where would be without them??
7. Our home. I LOVE having a house. It's quirky and mismatched and definitely not where we're going to live for the rest of our lives. But it's cozy and it's comfy and warm (except upstairs where there's no heat - haha), and I'm so grateful to have a place to live that I enjoy!
8. Our neighborhood. Seriously, we are SO spoiled. We have good neighbors. Eric is less than a mile from work. We're less than a mile from the hospital where Samuel will be born. Within 2 miles we have 5 great grocery stores (including Whole Foods and Trader Joes), Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread and a host of other restaurants, and the YMCA. Yet our street is super quiet and calm. I can run anywhere and be greeted with smiles and hellos. The houses are all old, eclectic and (mostly) beautiful. It's just a fun place to live.
9. Running. I know it may seem silly, but I really do thank God all the time that I have legs to run with! Running has been cathartic for me. It helps me clear my head, deal with change, and remember that sometimes life is just as simple as putting one foot in front of the other.
10. Our church. Calvary is totally NOT the type of church we thought we'd end up at when we moved here 3 1/2 years ago (it's humongous!), but I'm SO glad we did! The people are awesome, and we can know that we will always hear the truth preached. Now it's hard for us to imagine NOT being at a huge church!
11. Food. Pregnancy has made me more grateful for food than ever! More than that, I often think about those who DON'T have food, who go without on a daily basis, both here and overseas. I haven't ever gone hungry and I'm thankful for that, but it compels me to look for ways I can aid those who do. We have so much more than what we could ever truly need. Why not share it?
12. Our health. We may be young, but I've seen all too often how things can change in the blink of an eye for anyone. I'm so thankful for 25 years of a healthy life, and for the fact that, even though we both work in super-germy places, we've managed to stay relatively illness-free the last few years!
13. My crazy cat. Conner is a mess, but he's cuddly and hilarious. He likes to hide behind things and jump out and "scare" us. He thinks our food is his food (have you ever seen a cat eat oatmeal, eggs, pumpkin, chocolate, yogurt, cereal, or mexican casserole? Because ours does. He's a pretty big fan of Dr. Pepper too. We have to constantly hide our food). He is obsessed with bags and boxes, and will drag them all over the house. When he's not being crazy, he's cuddling in our laps, trying to "kiss" us (rub his nose against our faces), or begging to be picked up. He really is a nut, but I'm thankful to have a sweet pet. I hope he adjusts okay when the baby comes!
14. My bed. Also a silly one, but seriously, it's soooo comfortable! I'm thankful to have a nice warm place to cuddle up at night.
15. Lastly, I'm thankful for FREEDOM, both politically and spiritually. I've been blessed to grow up in a country where I can decide for myself what I think about things, where I can worship God as I choose, and where I can pursue my dreams without inhibitions. It's easy to forget that these are things that haven't always been true for everyone, and I hope that I can make the most of them.
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