Yo estoy disfrutando los ultimos dias de diciembre.

Waking up this morning I first was shocked at how late I'd slept and then proceeded to start dancing around the studio in my pajamas during which I realized mid-kick that....I must be feeling better.

Why don't you join me in my morning dance!! :)


I'm glad I'm feeling better.  It's quite embarrassing to be a doctor and be sicker than the patients your supposed to be making well.  Some mothers are a little too jumpy though.  Bringing your child in for a cough and runny nose is only going to succeed in making your child even sicker.  For example, Thursday the majority of my kids had influenza which they would be happy to share with your coughing child who is playing with them in the cramped waiting area.

Being sick didn't stop me from going into the city a couple of times this week.  Another student working Peds with me wasn't able to go home for Christmas due to her schedule being interrupted by Sandy so we went to Max Brenner's to celebrate the holiday.  If you haven't heard of Max Brenner's one word sums it up, Chocolate.  From Grand Central we were going to walk the 1 1/2 miles through the city, but we hadn't gotten even one block in the wintery mix coming down and Christine turned to me and asked, "Are we being dumb?" And in all seriousness I had to reply, "Yeah, I think we're being dumb!"  But thankfully we could remedy our situation and made the next exit down to the subway and arrived at 14th St. still relatively dry.  Our friend, Karan joined us at the restaurant.

L to R: Christine, me, Karan enjoying Max Brenner's.

Hasta!

Yo estoy enferma.

Merry Christmas everyone!  While waiting in the airport yesterday I wrote the post below and had planned to post it last night when I got home, hoping it would be before midnight, but....public transportation happened.  Funny how buses and trains don't run that often in the dead of night!  So I got home, but much after midnight, and therefore this is being posted now!

Merry Christmas everyone!  Feeling exceptionally blessed this year as I sit here at Midway awaiting my return flight to the Big Apple.  Within the past three days the vast majority of family has been greeted, gifts have been gifted and nephew has been everything short of smothered by kisses.  The date still says it’s December 25^th, the date on which the birth of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is traditionally celebrated, but my “Christmas” is drawing to a close.  I walked past the long line at the McDonalds, my last Christmas meal still sitting heavy in my stomach, and was struck by the normality of life here at the terminal.  And then bemused further, “How many people had McDonalds for Christmas?”  Growing up in a Christian household, and surrounded by a church family, to my knowledge the whole world celebrated Christ's birth.  But sitting here at an epicenter of international travel, I am saddened to admit to myself my pretty picture of “Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Men,” fails to extend beyond my imagination.  That outside of my bubble the arms of Jesus, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace are rejected sooner than accepted.  I think of my friend from Baghdad to whom December 25^th was just another day.  And here in the States he looks around goes with the flow trying to mimic us Americans, and now, December 25^th means commercialism, bright lights and just another day in the hospital.  Challenge to myself: when my friend from Baghdad asks me HOW was my Christmas can I also share with him the WHY of my Christmas?

I hope everyone’s Christmas was blessed.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), 1867)

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime, Of peace on earth, good will to men!

Hasta!

Yo estoy contando canas...1...

I was in El Paso, TX last week.   I stepped off the plane and a part of me almost jumped with excitement; that part felt like I was coming home again.

One night I met up with a friend from GDL.  This is the view from Scenic Drive.  At the right you can make out a building with a christmas tree on it, that's downtown El Paso.  Cutting across the whole scene is a line of lights following the Rio Grande (they are seen most clearly on the left where they look like runway lights as the river flows perpendicular to my viewpoint.)  I realize this probably just looks like a whole bunch of lights, so I'll just say closest to you is El Paso, TX but the vast majority of the lights you're looking at is Juarez, Mexico.

Plaza de los lagartos in downtown El Paso, is all lit up with an eklectic assortment of candy cane lights, stars, trees, balls, santas and a nativity. Etc...

And I am proud to announce the arrival of my first white hair! I think I had seen it before, but I don't actually inspect myself on a regular basis so hadn't paid attention.  Then one day last week I parted my hair and there it was, a stiff white curl standing straight up about an inch off my scalp.  Stubborn thing refused to lay down, until I actually reparted my hair.  It makes me smile to see it hiding underneath strands of my colored hair.  As if it's a secret somehow.  Well....not anymore!! ;)  I wonder what I'll look like 80 and all white-haired. :)

Hasta!

Yo estoy temblando.

Week one of Pediatrics done.  In the morning I spend my time in the walk-in clinic.  It's actually my preferred part of the day.  All of the patients are Spanish speaking.  A few looked as if they would be fine with English but if you ask them they immediately say Spanish, so we oblige.  The other students are starting to realize they can use my Spanish to their own advantage and have started pushing patients off on me.  Honestly I don't really mind.  The kids are all so cute, and I had actually started to miss speaking Spanish in the 3 months away from Sound Shore doing electives. 

Once I was gushing over the cuteness in a little toddler dressed in a candy cane looking sleeper, and glanced up to see another student rolling her eyes.  I chuckled to myself at her hard attitude...you see, she's a pediatric nurse practitioner student, and with that attitude about kids, she's got a looooooong career ahead of her. 

In addition, my Spanish has gotten quite rusty during the hiatus.  I may be speaking and carrying on but in my head I'm thinking, "Whoops! that was a mistake....aaaand there's another....and yup 3, all in one sentence. Boy I'm on a role!"  So, I guess the practice is good for me. :)

In the afternoons I switch over to a wellness clinic.  Even the name doesn't make sense to me.  Wellness?  What are well kids doing seeing a doctor?  Don't worry, I adjusted.  I ask all the needed questions. Test all the needed physical aspects.  Plot all the growth.  Check all the milestones.  And the whole time I'm thinking, what a healthy child, go home!  But then again they need their vaccinations, and if we didn't check we'd miss that one child falling off the charts, so....I just think it and smile.

I enjoyed the overly dramatic antics of a 9 yr old in for her wellness visit one afternoon.  At one point while the doctor was finishing up with her visit she mentioned the dentist.  To which the girl gasped and exclaimed! "Noooooo!  Yuck! I don't like the dentist!  I don't like dentists! Or nurses!  Or doctors!" She then paused to use both arms to make circles in my direction and said, "Except, for this!" 

Hasta!

Yo estoy desinflada.

Attempting to create some Christmas cheer!

Say hello to my little tree!

 And all decorated!  Ain't see a beauty?

All it needs is a little love and even Charlie Brown would be proud.

A step up from the Santa Clause shaped jelly window cling I've used as my Christmas decoration the past three years.  Now, how to keep my coats from catching on fire....that is the question!

Hasta!

Yo estoy rodeada por ninos.

Started working in Pediatrics today.  Fell before I'd even left the starting gate.  Last Friday I meant to but ended up forgetting to call and ask about where and when to be this morning!  Whoops!  Great start I was off to.  So what did I do?... I slept in this morning!  Figured if I was going nowhere, no sense in getting there early.  Plus....I was just really tired.  After a few phone calls I had finally achieved a semi-understanding of the where and when, and well, I was late of course but set out anyways.  Found my way with just a little circle turning....okay maybe it was a bit more than a little.

Once there, had no trouble jumping right in.  The patients were lined up and packed in waiting for the doctor, and a very minority of them actually spoke English.  Started by helping with some translating.  When I finally switched to seeing my own patients turned out to be a 4 for 1.  Mom and Dad had brought all four of their kids in.  When I finally emerged from the room, had to smile.  In a way that had felt just like home...the medical environment I'd been raised in.  Although in Mexico Dad wouldn't have been there.  Just Mom and all four kids, none of which are sitting still but rather climbing all around the small cramped consult room.  And I must admit the 3 year old was almost immediately my favorite of the day.  He was a rolly polly Mexican boy with faint dimples in his cute little face. 

Hasta!

Yo estoy extranando a mi sobrino.

 Finished up my rotation at the Medical Examiner's office this week and without a doubt that was the fastest rotation yet.  How can it be over already.  To summarize my 4 weeks of dealing with the dead.... (I hope you understand the absence of photos)

I was surprised at the number of suicides that came through our office.  The medical examiner investigates "sudden and unexpected" death.  So even if a suicide note is left, an autopsy is performed.  (On average 1 out of every 10 suicides is a homicide...but I don't have a scientific source for that, I just heard it.)  If I had to guess the reason for my surprise is that suicide is a taboo subject.  Families aren't proud of it, don't want to claim it, and definitely don't want to talk about it. Even in the office we didn't talk about it...it was just another body to autopsy.  But I can't get past the evident lack of hope infecting and festering among the people today.  How and why could they possibly have believed there was no other way?  I saw gunshot wounds to the head, a shotgun to the head (beyond messy), suicide by electrocution, chemical asphyxia via carbon monoxide and perhaps most surprising (besides the electrocution) a high number of hangings. 

I had the opportunity to leave the office on two separate occasions with the investigator and venture into the realm of "crime scene investigation."  Neither case were anything exciting, nor were autopsies performed on either of the bodies we picked up.  The first, an old lady died in her sleep.  The second, an uncle had tried to visit a niece who hadn't been seen in two weeks. For that particular one we were in the projects which didn't smell too nice to start with and then the body on top of that!!  Let's just say I was thankful that the detective assigned to the case was willing to get down and dirty instead of staying outside of the door like most of them do, saved me from having to...and I wasn't gonna argue with that!

I had the opportunity to accompany the chief ME once to the county courthouse in White Plains, NY as she was called to give her expert testimony in a homicide case.  She had performed the autopsy on the victim.  Probably won't be my last time in a courtroom unfortunately, but was the first time I got to see in person how the game is played. Two opposing teams and the lawyers are at their best...the courtroom, that's their playing field; and the rest of us, just pawns to be moved/pushed around to their choosing.  From the stand Dr. Ashar could tell that I had gotten bored....but I couldn't help it. The process just moved soooooo sslllooooowwwllllyyy.

The one thing I am happy about with the ending of this rotation...now, when someone asks me what I've been doing I won't be met with awkwardness and hesitation when I tell them.  You'd think my ears would start spinning or something when I'd say the word "autopsy" by the wide-eyed tongue-tied responses it would cause.

Hasta!

Yo estoy tratando calentarme.

"Must be beautiful in Vermont this time of year...

...all that snow."

This past Sunday I drove up to Clarendon, Vermont with a few others from Connecticut for Sunday services. There wasn't a minister so we listened to tapes.  Morning service was from 1988.  When I heard that, I initially involuntarily wrinkled up my nose at the idea of listening to something so out-dated.  It ended up being one of the neatest services I'd ever heard simply because it illustrated so well the fact that God's Word spans across time.  A sermon given 24 years ago had as much significance and was just as applicable today. God's Word is alive.

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

And then on the way home from Vermont we allowed ourselves quite a few detours.  We being Sis. Becca Moser and I.   Drove up Okemo ski mountain (see picture above).

Had afternoon tea with Mr. Darcy....well, not really, but we did stop and photograph the sign. Rather strategically so as to get Okemo in the background! ;)

And of course we had to stop at the Vermont Country Store.  Everything from cheese and maple candy to rust stain remover.  Deliciousness!!.....the cheese and maple candy that is.

I really enjoyed my time in Vermont.  I am partial to the smaller church.  But even the state itself seemed quiet somehow. 

Hasta!

Yo estoy pos-dia de accion de gracias.

Thanksgiving 2012 spent in Ellington, CT at the Ryan's.  A little backyard pre-Thanksgiving dinner wiffle ball with the grandkids enjoying the "warm" Thanksgiving afternoon.  I had previously been going over the "what am I thankful for" in my head and it was becoming unrealistically long to put in a post, so in a rather abstract way I summarized as follows. This year I'm thankful that the world keeps moving on and I can do so with it. Thankful that even though I'm out of place, there's still a place for me.

 Boston, Mass

A few of us decided to head to Boston for supper on Friday.  I was so excited to return to the city, and what an added bonus to see it in its Christmas splendor.  We left CT a little after 4 pm, drove into Mass, parked and rode the T into the city.  I have carried my Charlie Card with me ever since I left.  Knew that I'd use it again someday!! :)  (Charlie Card = to ride the T)  We basically spent all of our time at Quincy Market.  Enjoyed the atmosphere, the energy, and each other. 

Hasta!

Yo estoy guacala!!

I decided today that I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving! Wasn't terribly excited about it prior, and realized that the past four years it was a bit hard to maintain a celebratory attitude when you go out and the rest of the country could care less.  It kind of rubs off I guess.  Thanksgiving just starts to become less important.  I've been invited to Thanksgiving dinner at the Ryan's this year, a dinner which was already in the planning stages a month ago.  And today I was zoned out specifically thinking of gravy for some odd reason, and came to again still staring at the shredded mess of amputated legs of our most recent peds vs. auto accident and in horror mentally screamed, "What is wrong with you?!?!"  I am just praying it is just a matter of desensitization that allows me to not be disturbed by what I see and do at the medical examiner's office.

Recently our Chief ME, Dr. Ashar, was honored by being included in a list of the "Most Influential Women of Westchester County."  She was right up there with Martha Stewart!  I am really hoping she has a court date sometime this month so I can go to the trial and see her in action.  I've heard she's quite impressive, and from what I've seen so far, I believe it.

In addition to Dr. Ashar, there are three other forensic pathologists that work at the county ME office.  After today I've now had the opportunity to work with all three and observe their individual styles.  One in particular strikes me as very unique.  Although you can typically find such social nuances in extremely intelligent individuals...the type that have three board certifications minimum, etc..  Having a conversation is extremely exhausting with them as it takes every fiber of concentration to follow their line of thinking. For example, a typical one-sided conversation with this particular pathologist would be as follows: (with a Serbian accent)  "And you look at the...the.... and.. and.. then..and then you..you see....and....you know....hahahahhahaha!"  That last bit is your cue to start laughing although you have no idea what was looked at, seen or even known.  For some reason they seem to not realize that even though they know what they are talking about the rest of us aren't telepathic. They also have a tendency to jump subjects...suddenly...and without warning, also making the conversation hard to follow.  I typically find these jumps humorous for some unbeknownst reason and have trouble keeping a straight face.  He's called me out on it before, stopping mid-conversation to ask me why I was smiling.  Awkward!! ;)

Enjoyed my holiday this past Monday by going downtown.  I had dressed accordingly with the forecasted 60 degree predicted weather, but started feeling really self-conscious at the train station when everyone else had their winter coats on.  I was happy to be proved well prepared with my light jacket.  Met Kevin and Cheryl Ryan a Bryant Park for lunch.  Then Cheryl and I went to the top of the Empire State Building!

 From 102nd floor: lower Manhattan and Brooklyn

 From 102nd floor: lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island

 From 102nd floor: Central Park, upper Manhattan, beyond that the Bronx, beyond that New Rochelle...j/k can't see that far ;)

 On the 86th floor you actually get clearer views because you can walk around outside whereas on the 102nd floor it's all indoors.  But instead of taking a nice picture outside like normal people I had the "brilliant" idea to take a self portrait from inside the 86th floor with the city's reflection as our backdrop.  Oh so brilliant indeed.  Hence Failure #1.

And, well, got the actual city this time, but safe to say this would still be considered Failure #2.

Hasta!

Yo estoy muerta!

The Nor'easter is blanketing New York with a thick fluffy layer of heavy wet snow.  This made my commute home more on the negative side of enjoyable.  Starting off I couldn't get my car to move, and when it did it was any way but straight, and in bumper to bumper traffic that's always the wrong direction.  To tell you the truth it scared me almost to tears.  I had no idea how I was gonna get home in that mess.  Somehow I did though.  The snow plows better hop to it as I do not want to do this again tomorrow!

Started at the County Medical Examiner's Office on Monday. Taking a break from trying to keep patients alive and focusing on the dead for a few weeks.  Didn't know how I would take to dead bodies but really it's not bad.  It's just the shell of what once was.  What's important has moved on, abandoned life on earth and will never be needing the shell again.  The body's not a person anymore.  Really....it's just a thing now.  Im sorry if that sounds disrespectful.  I mean no disrespect to those souls that once lived and breathed.
I haven't had the chance to join the investigators on a call yet, but that will come.  Today we finished up by going over a string of scene photos from past cases.  At one point the Chief ME (Dr. Ashar), probably noticing the grimaces on our faces, asked us, "Are you guys sure you want to go to the scenes?"  I honestly replied, "I thought I did."  After seeing case after case of maggot infested bodies......my stomach had turned rather sour.

Hasta!

Yo estoy viviendo.

Literally rode out the storm in bed.  Snuggled under the covers with a book and read until I feel asleep.  Worst I felt the whole night was some random swaying of the building.  Kind of caught me off guard as I wasn't expecting it being on the 6th floor...I really wouldn't consider that high, but sway it did.  I woke up Tuesday morning completely shocked at what I saw out of my window.  Except for the lack of power on the street below all was still and calm, barely a leaf was moving. I checked my own lights and had power.  I had planned on the aftermath to be awful inhibiting me from going to the hospital, but what I saw was the exact opposite and I felt guilty for not going to the hospital. So Wednesday I was half expecting  someone to say something about my absence the day before.  No one said anything, in fact many were still missing on Wednesday, and talking with those who were there......I now understand how blessed I am.  It's literally as if I was in a little bubble and all around me was destroyed.  Everyday at the hospital I overheard new stories of this destruction.  Someone's neighbor had a tree go through the roof of his house and land on his head, wife and children survive.  No power, no heat and no hope of its return for yet another week.  And then Thursday gas started running out.  The tiny corner gas stations had 4 hour waits round the clock each with their own police supervision.  At the beginning of the week people couldn't get to work due to the downed trees and debris. Now they can't get to work because there's no gas to get there.

When I heard that Mr. Mayor of NYC was pushing with the New York Marathon I was honestly a bit upset.  He said that NYC needed to "go on." Tell me, how can you "go on" when you're not even standing again?  I mean its common sense, thousands of angry runners or millions of angry citizens still without permanent shelter, heat, and now gas.  What do YOU think the priority should be?  I later heard that Mr. Mayor cancelled the marathon due to receiving pressure to do so.  I felt a little justified at having been upset earlier...I hadn't been the only one.

I have no pictures to show, but just go to any news source and you'll find plenty.  It's the only thing on the TVs in the break rooms...I'm already getting sick of it.

Hasta!

Yo estoy esperando la tormenta.

I've still got power this morning so figured I better make use of it.  Many tried to convince me to just stay in CT to ride out the storm but a combination of factors brought me back to the city last night.  Heading South on 95 had never been so empty.  What has been bumper to bumper traffic on a Sunday night before was wide open last night.  I don't know how much of the hype to believe.  Could be that the residents just remember the storm that slammed the area last year this time and are reacting accordingly.  Gas stations were being drained starting back the end of last week.  Or could it be just that I've never actually experienced a storm like this and am underestimating the power it creates.  Either way I knew that even if I stayed in CT I'd constantly be wondering what was happening back home.  Plus I'd left a window open....probably not good for the inside contents during a hurricane.  Had contemplated going to the hospital for the morning at least, but then lost motivation for that when everything else seems to be closed/cancelled for today and tomorrow so emailed them a 'see ya later and be safe.'  So I'm at home, window shades all up allowing me a good 6th floor view of the gray cloud coverage tumbling West and of the trees begin to dance as the winds pick up.  I saw sparks fly once across the street and rolled my eyes thinking, "Really!!! The storm hasn't even "started" yet!!"  I brought a guitar back with me from CT this weekend so figure if I lose power I can switch back and forth between studying and playing...all by candlelight!  Que romantico!

The clouds just changed direction!!! Oh boy!

In church on Sunday, common theme was 'preparing for the storm'.  Rather fitting! ;)  And for demonstration A.....Hurricane Sandy!

Hasta!

Yo estoy azul.

Today I did my first successful esophageal intubation.

In case you were wondering, Yes, that is an oxymoron!

Whoops! :-/

Yo estoy aprendiendo.

Anesthesiology: The medical study and application of anesthestics.

Cocktail: A mixture of substances or factors

For the past two weeks I've been using the first definition above to create the second definition above. The goal effects of my cocktails being sedation, amnesia and anesthesia (sleepiness, forgetfulness and painlessness).  I choose this particular elective due to Anesthesiology being a very important part of the OR and in many ways works symbiotically with Surgery.  Plus it's almost like a backdoor to the OR.  I'm not doing the surgery, but at least I'm in the OR.

It's taken me a while to post because to be honest...I've been a bit of a 'debbie downer' lately.  Being back in the hospital again I'm around all the other students who are talking about all the interviews they've gotten, etc..whereas not only have I not received an invitation for an interview but in their place I've received denials for interviews.  The whole business just makes those jagged rocks far below look dangerously close.  Sigh. Anything can still happen, but it doesn't make the now any less scary or any more fun.  But on with life...

So far my general concensus of Anesthesiologists is that they are very smart lazy people (with the exception of course).  They are really busy at the beginning and at the end, but if the case is longer, it's not uncommon to see them sitting back in a chair on their ipad or smart phone in the middle of a case.  I was explaining this to someone last weekend and at the end he concluded..."So...you don't want to be an ipad doctor then?"

One of my main goals has been to become successful at intubation (sticking a tube down someone's throat).  After my first unsuccessful attempt it was concluded that I hadn't completely dislocated the jaw :/ which I found believable because the guy's teeth were super sharp, and I hadn't found the idea of prying them open attractive.  To encourage me I was told it usually takes at least 20 to get a successful intubation.  Which was encouraging at the time, but now I'm starting to wonder if they were just saying that because I ended up being successful on the 3rd patient I tried and have had 100% success rate since.  New goal: maintain success rate...a.k.a. get really smooth and swift at it.

Since I've last posted I finally received the score report for the USMLE step 2 CS I took back in July.  It was a pass which I was so relieved to receive.  I very strongly disliked the CS and just dreaded the idea of having to do it again.

I've also had another birthday.  I had spent the whole day in the hospital which was fine until I was finally leaving and realized I had just spent my entire birthday in the hospital. :(  Had planned on dinner with Kevin and Cheryl Ryan so at least there was something different and special already planned and I wouldn't have to resort to McDonald's to celebrate! ;)  As we were waiting for the lasagna to finish baking the Viens and Lis Ballasy from CT all of a sudden showed up turning the small dinner into a surprise birthday party!! It was very humbling.  How am I so blessed to have friends and family such as these? :)  Bekah took video and photos perhaps I'll have a video to post of the night soon! :)

Pictures from today:
Walking up Horse Barn Hill.  UConn campus Storrs, CT  (Bekah Viens and Amanda Virkler)

Looking over UConn campus from Horse Barn Hill

Hasta!

Yo estoy individual.

I like driving.  It's relaxing for me.  I don't do nothing very well.  But with driving...you get to do nothing while doing something.  It's a productive way of doing nothing that my brain somehow accepts.  Time passes quickly especially when you have someone to talk to.  Kaleigh Schlipf made the drive out to NY with me.  Below is our adventure.

 Echo Bay from Hudson Park in New Rochelle.  We started our Friday by walking down to the Sound.  Unfortunately I kind of led us on a detour on the way there...a longer detour.  We were almost all walked out before even getting downtown.  Whoops!

 

 

 In Central Park.  Very nice...and Kaleigh says she's not artistic.  My camera is well on its way to really broke....currently only kind of broke.  So the majority of these pictures were taken by Kaleigh with some from my cell phone.

 

Since we hadn't really planned anything for the day we didn't have tickets for anything, so instead we hopped on the Staten Island Ferry taking us right by Liberty Island and on to Staten Island.

 

 

View from the Staten Island Ferry leaving Manhattan.  To the Left is the Statue of Liberty (looks really small in this photo). In the center is the South tip of Manhattan and to the right is the West edge of Brooklyn

 

Arriving at Staten Island I really loved this light house. (situated at Bayonne Golf Club in Bayonne, New  Jersey)

 Return trip from Staten Island we enjoyed the setting sun as our background. :)

 

Times Square. The lights. The people. The traffic. The noise.

"Sea of Faces" by Kutless

I see the city lights all around me

Everyone's obscure

Ten million people each with their problems

Why should anyone care

And in Your eyes I can see

I am not just a man, vastly lost in this world

Lost in a Sea of Faces

Your body's the bread, Your blood is the wine

Because you traded Your life for mine

On Saturday we headed to Connecticut. And from there onto Massachusetts adding Bekah to our adventure.  We hiked Mt. Tom and throughtly enjoyed the fresh New England Fall.

 

 While thumping through the forest and after a fair number of slips sending rocks rolling we had to admit we'd make horrible Native Americans.  Had we been Indians our family would be so ashamed.  And we took on the names of Heavy Foot, Thunder, and Pound Cake. You can guess who's who! ;)

a view from Mt. Tom

 Kaleigh and I while hiking Mt. Tom!

Bekah was asked to bring cupcakes to young group Saturday night.  Are you fooled? Quite a few were completely confudled how we kept the ice cream cones from melting.

Me, Kaleigh and Bekah

Hasta!

Yo estoy regresando.

Welcome to the World Peter Benjamin! 

Such a tiny precious miracle!  Dark hair and dark eyes. 

Having the luxury of not really having plans for these two weeks I was able to stay with the little bear and help out his parents. So for the past couple of days I've completely spoiled my nephew by holding him as much as I could and sparing no few kisses

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes!

And now I've already got to head back.  These two weeks have just sped by.  I am so thankful God sees fit to gift random surprises.  Cause what a blessing this random surprise gift of two weeks has been.  And they aren't over yet!!!!

Hasta!

Yo estoy en vacaciones.

I'm starting to think that this random study break was more than just an accident of rescheduling.  That God, in His omniscience, had me take a step back from living my daily life, knowing the bigger picture would become clearer. Being able to be with Regg, Bev and Tucker Beer for a few days, and now being able to be here for the birth of my biological nephew...it's all very reassuring.  For some reason that I can't quite put into words. I keep coming back to that adjective.  Reassurance.

And for those of you wondering how my "studying" is going.  Let me reassure you, it's easy to study something you're interested in.  Something you want to know.

But....I must admit. It's nice to have the freedom to study while allowing distractions.  And if you have distractions, what a plus that this little guy was the culprit. :)

Hasta!

Yo estoy viajando.

Psych rotation ended today.  And as if to herald the event we were inundated with walk-ins, some escorted by the police (to put it nicely) and others unescorted starting at about 3:00pm.  Almost as if school got out and they all came over to us.  Question:  Just how badly do you have to behave in school to merit a full psychiatric evaluation and a police escort all the way to the psych hospital to make sure you get said evaluation?

I also had a 1 ½ hour conversation with a psychotic schizophrenia patient.  It was rather exhausting.

Now that Psych is done I have two weeks to “study”. Long story how these two weeks came about.  But since I have them I figure I can study from anywhere.  So tomorrow morning gonna pack up the car and head West.  Plan as of now is Junction, Ohio then Milford, Indiana then Chicago, Illinois and then finally Gridley, Illinois spending a few days in each before heading back to New York.  Should be some excellent studying!! ;)

Hasta!