Lovin' the Doctor's Office

Ben's going to India this Tuesday so he went to the doctor for a physical and some shots. He hadn't had a physical for 7 years! 

They had this really fun magnifying thing that kept us entertained before his doctor came in. And NO I don't normally come to his doctor appointments but I was his ride and didn't want to sit in a hot car. This ended up being a much better idea!

Ben's a 2nd Year!

Ben has officially become a second year medical student this afternoon. This year just whizzed by! I would say that I wish the next three would do the same but then that would just bring us closer to residency and really never seeing each other. So I'll just enjoy this journey one day at a time. (But I'm still happy the first year is over!) Congratulations, Ben!

one wall down

I'm a big fan of decorating. I've rearranged my house many times in the last 11 months that we've lived here and I think I've finally got one wall down and completed (I'm not gonna touch it until we move!). Well, actually I think I might add something else to the right of it eventually but I dunno. It's a wall in my dining room. Also, I found out a few weeks ago from our landlord that we can paint our walls -WooHoo! In the next few weeks I'll begin my painting job - a warm Tuscan orange in the dining room (but not on the wall I just finished - too much color I think) and a lovely cappuccino color in my family room. I'm saving that job for when Ben's in India so I'll have something to occupy my time. Once I paint the walls I'll post some pictures.

my typical friday night consists of...

It's 10 pm on Friday night. You might think "hm, why is she on the computer on such a night of the week when everyone is out and about or at least spending time canoodling on a couch?.." Good question. I'm actually sitting in a coffee shop while Ben is studying with Eli, a friend from Loyola, for their finals next week. Luckily, Eli has a wife that I adore that's also hanging out with me. But this is a pretty typical Friday evening for us. Not that we necessarily go to coffee shops all of the time (even though the smell is intoxicating) but we're usually alone or with each other while they're off learning the menstrual cycle (seriously, that's what they're studying right now). 

Krista and me at Caribou Coffee just THRILLED to be here...

22 days and counting...

I know I shouldn't be blogging while I'm at work (my kids are in music class though) but I just counted how many more school days are left and got stoked! Only 22!! WooHoo! I'm burnt out, my kids are burnt out, and I'm really ready for the summer. Ben has only a week and a half left of classes and tests and then he'll officially be a second year med student. But then a few days later he'll be flying to India for two months. Boo.

what a perfect day for a softball game... or not

Two Saturdays ago all of the medical schools in the Chicago area and Wisconsin came together at Grant Park to play in a softball tournament. The day was supposed to start at 7:30 am and end around 6 pm. Unfortunately, our day was cut short around 9:30 when Ben slipped on some concrete in his cleats, landed on his arm (well his bum landed on his arm), and broke his radius right through. Below are three pictures that chronicled that day. If you get queasy with broken looking things then don't look at the second picture below. 

Here is a lovely before picture of Ben doing some practice swings. Not too long after this we would be hailing a taxi to zoom us to the Northwestern Memorial Hospital's emergency room. Yay. 

Here is the gnarly looking arm after the fateful fall. Gross huh? I took this picture with my cell phone before they straightened it. I was pretty proud of myself that I didn't: 1) get too scared, 2) vomit, 3) freak out, 4) faint, 5) lose my sense of humor. I was doing a pretty good job of joking and pumping him up for the setting of the bone (fortunately, they made me leave for that part). 

Here is an after picture. We finally got home from the e.r. after 5-ish hours of waiting, pulling, drugging, setting, casting, and all sorts of enjoyable conversation with random people that I had. Ben lucked out and didn't need any surgery. They set it perfectly back in place and now has a cast from his knuckles to a few inches above his elbow. The whole situation could have been a lot worse. Now he soaks up as much help and pity as he can from me - just look at his face in this picture and imagine the torture I am now going through. =) 

"Go Cubs Goooo! Go Cubs Goooo! Hey, Chicago, what do ya say? The Cubs are gonna win today!"

Last Wednesday we went to another Cubs game. They were playing their rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers. There were quite a lot of Brewers fans there that were quite disappointed when the Cubs beat them 19 to 5! It was awesome!

Watch out for those foul balls!

Yep, these were out seats. As you can see there is no one behind us because we were in the last seat. Still a pretty good view though!

This was the view behind us and through the fencing. To the left is the Hancock Bldg and to the far right is the Sears Tower. 

During the last few innings we snuck to the front. I had to ignore a seating lady that kept yelling "Ma'm! Ma'm!" We could literally see the sweat on their faces from here.

Ben with his broken arm zipped up in his jacket.