Sorry. Not Sorry.

     I could apologize for neglecting my blog the past several months. But in a way that seems narcissistic, as if assuming the world was lacking a certain 'je ne sais quoi' when I stopped  filling it with my life updates. So I won't.

  Arland and I were married on the 9th of May. It was a quiet ceremony in the Vancouver temple. We didn't have expensive caterers, extravagant decore or professional entertainment. But we had family, laughter and the best of friends. And isn't that when you really remember?

        We had a wonderful time travelling. Although there were a few bumps in the road. Our travel agent didn't book our seats next to each other on the plane. Once seated, Arland innocently pointed back to his 'just married' wife a row back. Sitting apart while on your honeymoon was completely out of the question to the passenger next to him and we soon traded seats. That was a small concern considering our travel agent also didn't book us a room at our hotel. (I'm beginning to wonder if she understands the criteria of her job because she also apparently forgot we needed to get back to Edmonton and not live in Denver. Our flight connection in the states flew out for Alberta before we even left Mexico)

        But for the most part we had a great time brushing up on Arland's Spanish in Puerto Vallarta. Apparently I need to learn some myself. One night we sat borrowing Starbuck's WiFi when a man approached Arland. He was dressed in a neat button-up shirt, slacks and coiffed hair (this is unusual for the average street vendor in Mexico). He spoke to Arland in Spanish. After a minute the man opens his wallet and gives Arland 500 pesos ($50). And then Arland walks away. Leaving me with this man. Sold for $50 on your honeymoon!! Turns out he wasn't getting rid of me that easily. He returned in a matter of minutes with a pizza. Apparently I was sitting with the Quality Inspector of Domino's for all of Mexico. He was seeing if us gringos are charged a different rate than locals. We sat and enjoyed our free authentic Mexican pizza (ham and pineapple)

     We went on a couple of excursions. A Jungle tour and a live performance on an indigenous island lit by torches. Both were amazing. There was so much wonderful food. And ice cream every day folks! It's common knowledge you're allowed to get fat after you're married. We searched for hole-in-the-wall places that were the real deal. Our favorite spot was at an corner restaurant. Fresh hot tortillas, homemade horchata and divine pico de gallo. The family who owned the restaurant sat down at the table next to us and ate their own food. Sign of a good place to eat!

       It all ended too soon. Leaving is always hard. But it was exciting to come back and start Real Life Part II: Marriage. Everyone was so great to us leading up to our wedding and after. So much love and support coming from so many people, some who we didn't even know. And so much generosity! People were thoughtful and sincere we have been awe-struck. Thank you to all who helped, in any way, and thank you to those who had us in their thoughts. It takes a village to outfit a newly-weds house!

Back! And Better Than Ever

    Hello blogging world! I've had several requests (?complaints) the a new blog post was in order. And what's a people pleasing girl, like myself, gonna do with her unhappy public?! So as per request, this is your delivery.
Since my last post (in October, which I admit myself is rather shameful) I've:

- Finished my education!

The exams stressed me pretty much to the max, but I pulled through and am now proud to call myself a Sonographer. I started work at Canada Diagnostic Centres and am absolutely loving it. The people I work with are great, the hours are amazing, its awesome to finally be getting paid for what I was doing anyway! All around win!

I wrote my Canada board exams shortly after starting (results aren't in yet so the celebration isn't official yet!)

-I went home                                                                                                                                     

It is always so wonderful after a long stretch of being away from family to go home. Got some quality time in with the sibs and just chilled after a really rough couple of cramming weeks.

My daddy and I went for a bike ride (it has been years since I've hopped on one of those contraptions). And he totally whipped my tush up those hills. We all got alcatraz Pj's for Christmas. Momma's a talented woman. (who is mightily enjoying that choke hold of Dad's)

We made the Nativity scene out of gingerbread men. See my life-like recreation of Lulu!

-I got laser eye surgery!                                                                                                                

Poor mom was a personal taxi for weeks. I had my eyes done and was an invalid for days and Clayton had his wisdom teeth out within a week of my surgery.

And I could sugar coat it, but I'm not going to. It was painful. I could not open my eyes for a day and couldn't tolerate light for 3. But I'm happy now. I love waking up and looking at my clock at the other side of the room and knowing what time it is. Or getting up and just going, falling asleep and not having to take contacts out, not having to pack contacts, solution, case and glasses when I go somewhere over night. Awesome.

                                  

I'm still with that cute-looking blonde boy.

                                       These are the flowers he bought me when I was feeling sad

These are the flowers he bought me when I finished my board exams and surprised me by sneaking into my house and leaving them on my desk

These ones are for Valentines day. 

And I didn't snap a shot of the beautiful white lilies he got me after I finished my Provincial board exams.

He came out for a visit during the break. 19 hours on a greyhound bus, folks! He is a trooper! I picked him up at 4:30 AM the morning he got in. And we had a blast! Going to the movies, sight seeing, visiting Vancouver, going on the skytrain, shopping in the states!

Apparently we also ate a lot of food. This would explain why he's now put P90X on my desktop. Subtle, Hun.

And so when a boy buys you so many flowers and spends prolonged periods of time on a bus, endangering his neck to the crazies who ride it, just to see you, there are certain consequences.

- I got engaged                                                                                                                                 

Vancouver Temple May 9th 2014. 

NBD

That has been a wild, crazy, frustrating experience! And to all those girls who have had a binder of the wedding they've wanted since they were 6. Let me tell you now, you've forgot something! There's no way the human mind can possibly think of all the things you will actually need at one time! Sheesh!

But it's also a crazy amount of fun. This past weekend we got the bridesmaid dresses.

And if we were going for a 60's theme this would have been perfect. Pictures of the real deal will be released after May 9th. You can bite your fingernails until then! And I might borrow yours too, cause I don't have any more fingernails to bite!

                                                                

Happy Halloween!

                      Happy Halloween!!

Best surprise to come home to :)

There's a Mote in your Eye!

   

        One thing that I've come to love about my career is the ability to see inside people. Well I suppose that's sort of the whole point of the job, but sometimes you see more than you would think. There are some assumptions we make in medicine because they follow a consistent pattern. Things like when someone describes a right sided pain that radiates to their shoulder after eating a heavy meal they probably have gallstones. Or when they tell you about a long flight they were on and now have a swollen and tender leg that they probably have a clot. And sometimes it's hard to walk in to scan a 20 year old, skinny patient who has been relatively healthy and not just assume its going to be normal.

      I even learn these things in school. I've learned to put together external evidences, judge within minutes and categorize so as to be able to jump to a conclusion. I've learned to be able to focus in on areas which will be affected by these symptoms and to pay close attention to subtleties. I can spend more time on a localized area trying to figure out the problem. But I've also learned to judge people. I hastily put an entire person in a generic container based a few traits. I've learned that large people are usually hard to scan and have fatty livers. That people with cirrhosis usually drink too much. And people who come in for scan, after scan, with normal results are usually hypochondriacs.
 
    These habits, I've come to realize, don't stop at my work day. Unfortunately I, and I think I wouldn't be too far off by saying people other than just me, make a lot of assumptions and judgements on what we have seen as a consistent pattern. That people who cut us off are jerks, the person who says an unkind word is bitter and hates you and when someone someone asks for change on the street they've done things to put themselves there

    It was a smack upside the head the day I read the requisition form for my next patient. It told me they had cirrhosis and I assumed this person had a few too many drinks. I was expecting to walk in on and see a person with their life in shambles and an addictive nature. But the kind man who I spent the next hour with was patiently living with a disease that had attacked his liver and left it scarred beyond repair. He was sweet and long-suffering.

     That's when I knew I had to take a step back. Both in and out of my job. I realized the facts I have almost never add up to the whole truth. Some days we get a glimpse at the big picture, and others we have to deal with the piece we've been given. I've seen alcoholics with healthier livers than some 20 years olds. I've had my work torn to shreds only to realize what someone saw in me and decided to cultivate. The most beautiful, plaque-free carotid arteries I've seen was on a woman in her 90's. I've met people who I thought should know better how to act, only to later discover the crippling background they've come from. I've scanned people who I thought would be normal and see a tumor taking up half their body. How long had they suffered in silence?  I've seen people at the top of the social pyramid, and seem to know it, spend their time with an awkward outsider. The truth is all we will ever get to see is a 2D snapshot of a complex and beautiful 3D person, one who is constantly morphing, changing, growing, progressing and making mistakes.

  I know by experience I make hasty judgements from brief moments of what I see. But I also know that the richest experiences, the most learning and moments of absolute humility have come when I set aside my judgements. When I see a person for what they have been through, who they are and what they may become. The way I, and might I be so hypocritical as to assume that we, would like to be seen. Because you never know, when you open up a person, you might be surprised by what you see inside.


   "There is really no way we can know the heart, the intentions, or the circumstances of someone who might say or do something we find reason to criticize. Thus the commandment: “Judge not.” 
                                                                                                 -Thomas S Monson

And if you're really on a roll read this story. Have kleenex.

The Perfect Day: Take 2

     There's just something about holiday Mondays that seem to bring all my friends together. We had an awesome day like the one in  November, but a summer version.

      It started with a morning brunch for our ward. People played guitar, sang and even rode a unicycle. Plus who doesn't love eating food that you didn't have to make for yourself? We gathered a crowd and hiked on over from my house to the legislature building. It was packed. We trickled our way through the people who, all together, filled the air with the heavy smell of coconut sunscreen. It was chokingly hot day so obviously we childishly played in the kiddie pools. And after cooling off we went to watch some of the performers.

     I'm not much of a crowd person so it was fun for the hour we were there but I was much more in my comfort zone when we decided to go to a residential park and have a picnic. Also because picnics are one of my favorite things to do. A couple of friends had brought some slacklines. It was my first attempt at slacklining and I can now take 6 steps! We made our own fun by grabbing some baskets and mini frisbees out of Kristin's trunk and made sport of trying to land them in the baskets. Thankfully it was also a water park so when we all got too warm we sought the relief of the colorful, water-spouting tunnel. Some were not as willing to get wet, but they were 'firmly encouraged with assistance' and everyone came out equally soaked.

      After laying in the sun and attempting to dry off it felt so nice to get out of damp clothes and change into fresh dry ones. We drove to the fireworks early to secure a spot. We played games, ate pizza and enjoyed the serenading of guitar to pass the time.

     And then they started. I love the feeling of community you get when you organize with thousands of people to all do the same thing. I also love the anticipation of what's coming. It doesn't often happen that you know something very good and exciting is coming but you don't know exactly what it will be like.

      My very favorite part though is when you can feel the explosion blow through your body. All your senses are excited. Lights flashing one after another, pounding in your ears and chest, the smell of smoke.

    Then it was over. But is there a better way to end any day? I think people would sleep a little easier if there were fireworks every night. Who wouldn't feel better about letting some steam off cheering for brilliant lights in the sky? You'd always have something to look forward to every night. Anyone else with me?

It was a fantastic summer's day spent with some friends who I think are all pretty great. Bring on Labor day!