My Body isn't a Temple. But it's Getting There.

Many of you have struggled with the same thing I am about to talk about: weight loss after pregnancy. And not just after pregnancy but weight loss anytime. I have struggled with my weight ever since junior high. I have summed this up to a multitude of reasons and any or all of them could be the culprit. I won't bore you with a list as it would be a long one. I've had periods of highs and lows but I've never been really able to consistently keep at a steady healthy weight for an extended period of time.

I was pretty small for me when I met Drew 9 years ago (quick sidetrack.... 9 years???? Holy Crap!). Mainly since I was bring treated for hypothyroidism and my endocrinologist gave me this litte magic pill that decreased my appetite. I very rarely ate more than 1.5 meals a day. As of now I've had my thyroid levels checked before, during and after my pregnancy a few times and my levels have been normal. I'm not sure if the doctors I've seen use a different scale based on my levels than my endocrinologist did or because he was also basing it off family history, but I'm not currently being treated. Even though I started being treated at 15. I'm still not entirely sure what to make of that. 

Anyway, I stopped seeing my endocrinologist a couple of years after I started college and moved to Oregon. Traveling to San Francisco 2-3 times a year plus the expense of the doctor didn't really work out too well so I stopped my meds and definitely noticed a difference in my weight. After Drew and I got engaged though I was determined to get the weight back off and dropped about 20-25 pounds for our wedding. At first I kept it off but life got in the way and I ended up gaining it all back. I've always reached a certain weight and stayed there or hovered around that weight which I'm very thankful for. During my pregnancy with E I gained about 40lbs and was almost 20lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight at my 5 week post-partum check. That was enough to give myself a good kick in the ass. But after all the changes in my body, working out and eating like I had done in the past (lots of Subway and SmartOnes meals) wasn't cutting it. Even changing my workouts and meticulously monitoring every calorie and every meal wasn't getting me the results I feel I should have had by now. So I made a last ditch attempt and tried something new. 

I've been wanting to get back to the trainers at the CrossFit gym I joined during the fitness challenge I did through our health insurance, but the membership is pretty pricey and it definitely cuts into how much we like to keep in our bank account after bills so for right now until I go back to work that isn't an option. So I figured getting a gym membership, any gym, would be beneficial. But staying home with E makes it problematic. I kept seeing the ads for DailyBurn on Hulu and figured what the hell? What I didn't expect is that for an extra five bucks you also had access to their nutrition program so I thought I would give that a try too. I mean, the first month is free, why not? 

I like to think of this as more of a lifestyle change than a diet. Why? Not only is it working for me but its changed the way I look at food. I've been a bit of an ingredient Nazi since E has started eating solids. I'm way worse now. I completely raided our pantry, fridge and freezer, spice and baking cabinet. I don't even know how much food I got rid of. It was a lot. I'm really thankful that Drew is completely supportive in my obsession with eating better. We barely have anything processed in the house anymore and if we do I double check everything that we buy. If it has a stupid amount of ingrediets, something I can't pronounce or I have no idea what it is, we don't buy it. We don't eat out much anymore either. I've kind of learned to like cooking and Drew has always been a fabulous cook so eating at home is something we do most of the time now. Pinterest is my mecca for recipes. I have found so many great recipes and cooking tips that cooking at home is easy. Especially if we plan ahead and do a weekly menu. 

So what have I been doing? I avoid gluten, dairy, soy, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, some naturally occuring sugar and if it does have sugar it has to be less than 10 grams per serving. That's it. The first 21 days I avoided all of that and now I can have foods that contain those but only a very limited amount a week. I've lost about 7lbs in the first month but the weight is starting to come off even faster now that my body has adjusted. I lost over 2lbs during the week of Valentine's Day. That NEVER happens. I have officiay lost all the baby weight and am below my pre-pregnancy. Yay me!

Drew will be the first to tell you that I'm a picky eater. And in the past health foods have not tasted very well. That is not the case now. We've done a lot of taste testing over the last few months. Two compaines we really like are Daiya and Earth Balance. Some of the products will still sneak some soy in but they have soy free options too and so that's what we go for. And the Earth Balance butter and mayo we can't even tell the difference. I still haven't been able to find certain things that fit my new criteria, like coffee creamer and yogurt, so there are a couple of things I miss but I've learned to live without. I've really taken the time to educate myself on ingredients and the process of making certain ingredients. And I've learned that some "health foods" aren't exactly healthy. The biggest thing is to read labels so you know what's in your food. You don't need to eat Azodiacarbonamide. Just because the FDA says its okay Subway doesn't mean you should be using it to make your bread fluffier and whiter. Seriously. 

So, DailyBurn you ask? I like the program.They have a lot of variety and I'm sweaty and sore the next day which is good. But I haven't been using the videos as much as I thought and I have the basics down for the nutrition program so I'm not sure if I'll continue the membership or not. Most of the time I would prefer using the elliptical or since its been so nice put E in the jogging stroller and go for a run. But I also still want to tone up and give myself variety so I'm still on the fence. I'll make a decision by the next time we have to pay for it. 

Really what has given me the biggest push to change my ways has been Evelynne. Last year when I had my yearly check-up and bloodwork everything was good except my weight and cholesterol. High cholesterol runs in my family and I've always had higher than normal levels for my age. But last year it was in the high range, not just high for my age. A lot of people have given me a hard time about being vegetarian and now almost vegan (I'm seriously annoyed with the stigma attatched to that) but that was one of the reasons why I made the switch. Now its probably the biggest reason. I really don't want to have bypass surgery when I'm 45. And I know working out is something I need to do almost every day. I want to be able to keep up with her when she's five and playing soccer. I can eat better all I want but if I'm not in decent shape I won't be able to keep up with her when she's older. 

I know that people say, "My grandfather smoked, drank and ate red meat until the day he died at 99." Well, good for your grandfather but this is what I've learned: in the last 50-60 years the way we eat has completely changed. Why are we the fattest country in the world? Why has certain diseases (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc) been on the rise? For hundreds, thousands of years, people didn't eat that much meat and didn't eat processed foods until this last century. Yes, animals were put on Earth to be eaten. But not at the amount and not in the way we are eating it now. Hunters and gatherers and other ancient civilizations only ate meat (not including fish in some areas) when crops were scarce during the winter and drought. And don't fight me on that, I spent enough time studying history to know that is exaclty how people ate. I'm not saying that people shouldn't eat meat. And I'm not one of those vegetarians that judge people for eating meat. I live in a house with two omnivores and I personally feed my child meat. But my body is telling me that I shouldn't and that I should extremely limit or avoid animal products altogether. And I think many things in moderations is fine. But eating bacon and hamburger two times a day, seven days a week isn't what I think God had in mind when he had Noah save cows and pigs. 

Alright, I'm aware that I got a little carried away. But for me I know that the way I've been eating has significantly affected my weight and how my body is tolerating food. This post wasn't meant to suggest that everyone is eating wrong. I wrote this ridiculously too long off a blog to say that this works for me and I plan on living a different and healthier lifestyle. Not just for myself, but for my family and for our future together. 

A Cynic I am Becoming

I seriously think that I am becoming a cynical person. Or maybe its just the fact that I'm realizing that a) I don't like very many people, b) I'm starting to care less about what people think about me and c) I'm just getting plain bitchy in my older age. I think 28 is a defining age. You're still in your tewnties but you're fast approaching your thirties and some people (well, me) begin to reevaluate their life, their priorities and the people in their life. And I'm definitely doing the later. 

I am a stay at home mom in a city that doesn't feel like home and I don't know many people outside of Drew's co-workers and the Mommy and Me group I've joined. So a lot of my social time is online. I realize that fact is kind of sad but... whatever. I've always been an independent person and have had a small group of friends everywhere I've lived. And those people I love staying in touch with. But I've never been one who likes to talk much on the phone. I'm up for some FaceTime or a Skype call and my favorite method is texting but I've never been one who likes to talk when I can't see you. So generally I keep track of everyone on Facebook.  

But that's where my problem arises. Facebook started as a college meet and greet of sorts so you could connect with others on campus. Even though Facebook has been away from a campus centered atmosphere for a few years now, you can still sense the foundation. I didn't have a typical college experience and so I have a very small handful of people on my friends list who I went to college with. Which is why my friends list is filled with people who attended Enterprise with me, and in some cases junior high as well. And that's how I built my friends list up. But now that our 10 year high school reunion has come and gone (and no I didn't go for a number of reasons, mainly because traveling with a 3 month old 3 times in 6 weeks wasn't appealing), I have to start asking myself when someone pops up on my news feed: Am I ever going to see this person again? I'm not exctly sure why but a high school classmate seems to be the hardest to remove from my friends list. I've removed people I used to work with, or people that I lived in dorms with, etc. So why is it harder to do the same with another EHS alum? Its a bit baffling. 

I have many people on my friends list that I knew in high school but whom I didn't socialize with on a regular basis outside of class. A nice person but honestly, what are you contributing to my life? And this is something I have to ask myself now. I'm not on Facebook a lot, usually only a couple minutes a few times a day with more time spent in the evening and when I have a few minutes to myself during E's naps. And I'm trying to cut back even from that. But because I only do a couple minutes here, a few minutes there, I want my online social time to count. My news feed is constantly filled by people who I haven't seen since Sober Grad and that I didn't really know that well but I'm slightly curious about how life is going for them so since I'm a nice person I accepted their friend request anyway. But over the last few months I've slowly realized that I'm not a mean person if I deny your request or rremove you from my fiends list. It doesn't mean you aren't an important person, its just that in reality we aren't that important to each other. 

So what brought all this up? Football season. Seriously. I've realized over this last football season that there are some people that are mean spirited, who won't stop inputing their opinion long enough to try to apprecite yours, who will constantly badger you over something trivial like a football game and whose life centers around something that I won't put before my family and friends. Football is supposed to be fun. People like what I've just described make it frustrating and unappealing. Part of what makes football fun is a good rivalry but when people take it too seriously is when I have to take a step back and look at the whole picture. And if someone is like that over football then I know they are going to be like that, and possibly worse, when it comes to many other things. That's what makes me cynical. And that's when I have to reevaluate who I am spending my time on. And since much of my time socializing is on Facebook I need to make some changes.

When it comes down to it, football isn't the root of my needing to adjust my online social life but it oddly helped me to see things in a different perspective. Other things contributed as well. This just pushed me over the edge of what I can and should tolerate and expose myself to. Doing a bit of self monitoring every now and again I think is a good checkup for how you are living your life and to help you make adjustments in your life. I don't want to be a cynic. So the appropriate changes will be made.  

Where Have the Last 5 Months Gone?

Today Evelynne is 5 months old. Where has the time gone? I want to go back to the days when I was 8 where it felt that time passed slowly. Well, okay I don't really want to go back in time but I want the days to pass slowly and not to go by at warp speed.

You would think that time wouldn't go by so quickly when you're in a routine like we are and I stay home all day where not much is different from day to day other than what I make for dinner, and sometimes even that is repetitive. But its getting to the point that every time I look at E she is changing. That is how I am measuring time now. Not so much by the days on the calendar (a lot of times I don't even know what day of the week it is), but by each little expression, giggle, and cry that she makes. I watch as my friend's babies turn one year old and older and think of how much I don't want her to grow up. Not only does it make me feel old but sad because of how fast life, and her life, has gone by already.

Life is so different when you don't have kids. Days go by differently when you measure time just by work and/or school and making plans for the weekend. I mean, hell, I don't make plans for the weekend anymore. I don't have weekends anymore and even though Drew jokes that everyday is Saturday for me, my days are always going to be different than what they used to be. And I'm sure that most every parent can agree with that.

Of course I'm excited about what is ahead for her: her first steps, her first day of school, when she's finally old enough to go to Disneyland and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Honestly, I think the last one is what I'm most excited for (I'm such a nerd). But I still want for time to not go by so damn quickly.

I wish I could say that it feels just like yesterday when we brought her home for the first time. But it doesn't. It feels like a long time ago.

Today I'm feeling a bit sappy, can't you tell? But writing is therapy for me, and I wrote a lot today (I'm talking about my whole other page too that is dedicated to my other issue, post baby body) which is helpful. It's nice to be able to get your thoughts out and it doesn't even matter if no one reads it or 10.

Our First Born: Evelynne Gabourey

So, since I have failed to update the blog in a while (surprise surprise right?), it seems appropriate that my next post be of Evelynne's birth story. I will try to give a complete account of what happened for those of you who are interested while trying hard not to over share. This is probably going to be my longest post (two days of labor and a total of 4 days in the hospital will make any story lengthy) so you may want to get comfortable.

The morning of Saturday the 2nd I woke up around 4:30 to use the bathroom. I tried for about an hour and a half to get comfortable after getting up and since I was sleeping on our air mattress at the time it could take a while. A little after 6am I went to roll over to readjust and my water broke. I was a little shocked and it took me a while to convince myself that that was what actually had happened since I wasn't feeling any contractions. I went into our bedroom and woke Drew up who was just as shocked as I was. Since I wasn't feeling any contractions I knew we could take a little time getting to the hospital. And good thing we had some time because we, well I, didn't have much packed except the diaper bag. So I was able to shower (there was a lot of fluid and I continued to leak during a lot of labor) and get my things together while Drew did a few things around the house. He also had to get the car seat in the truck since we had been holding off because we're in the process of trying to sell the Tacoma and get a bigger, more family appropriate vehicle. Once we were finished we left the house about an hour after my water broke and arrived at the hospital around 7:30.

When we got to the hospital we checked in and were taken to a delivery room so I could be placed on a monitor and be checked out to verify that in fact I had broke my water. They ran an analysis of the fluid and sure enough at around 9am the test confirmed that it was amniotic fluid. I was barely dilated so there was no other option but to induce me since they begin to worry about infection after a while so my nurse placed an IV (first try too which was way better than the five attempts it took the last time I needed an IV) and got the Pitocin going at around 10:30. When we arrived I was having contractions according to the monitor, but little ones and I couldn't feel them, and obviously they weren't doing anything.

So as Drew said the hurry up and wait began. Probably about an hour and a half to two hours after they started the Pitocin I started to notice the contractions. They started off being tolerable and I was managing pretty well through them. And since E and I were doing well my doctor let me eat in the early afternoon. I hadn't eaten since Friday evening and was hungry and starting to not feel well due to that. He also let me have dinner which was wonderful. My day nurse Liz said I was really lucky cause usually when you've been started on Pitocin the doctors don't let you eat.

But before I continue, let me just say that all of my nurses were awesome. I had three L&D nurses and three postpartum nurses as well. All of them were great, really helpful and supportive but my favorite was Hilary. She was my overnight nurse in L&D both nights and was there for my delivery and the beginning stages of postpartum. She helped me through the most challenging thing I've ever done and I will always be grateful for her.

Unfortunately though I didn't progress much during the day or through the night. At around 2am Sunday morning (about 20 hours after my water broke) I decided to try a little pain medication to take the edge off. I was only dilated between 3-4cm and was beginning to realize that this was going to take a while. I was given some Fentanyl which lasted maybe 40 minutes. It made me groggy and did help take the edge off but I could still feel the contractions. The doctor said I could have a dose every hour but Hilary explained that usually the effects are only felt for the first two to three doses and then they became less and less effective. After the effects wore off I knew that if my labor continued to progress as slowly as it was I was going to be exhausted during delivery. So even though I had every intention of going through labor and delivery naturally with minimal pain medication I decided around 3:30am to get an epidural. At this time they also started me on antibiotics since the chance of infection was higher since my water had broke over 18 hours prior.

After getting a bolus of fluids and notifying the anesthesiologist, he came in a little after 4am to place the epidural. I wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of someone sticking a needle in my spine but it was better than doing nothing. Overall the epidural placement wasn't too bad except having contractions during the placement and the initial stick for the local. And it was a really odd feeling having the catheter placed, it was like someone was repeatedly popping and manipulating my spine. He told me it would take about 10-15 minutes to start to feel the effects. And I did, but only in my right thigh. Both Hilary and he did a couple of cold tests to determine what I could and couldn't feel. He then tried giving me a bolus of the meds, waited another 15 minutes and I still could feel everything but my right thigh so he placed another epidural. The second time it finally took effect around 5am. Its the strangest sensation to not be able to feel anything from the waist down. My legs were so heavy and tingly and I wasn't much a fan of not being able to move around on my own but it was better than the alternative.

At this point I had been awake for over 24 hours and was exhausted but with the epidural I was finally able to get some rest. I slept from about 5 to 8 and during this time both the doctors and the nurses had a shift change. My new doctor for the next 24 hours was Dr. Santa Maria, an associate for my ob, just like my doctor from the previous day. And my day nurse was Maria. They came in and did a check a little after 8am and I was still only dilated 3-4cm. At this point since I wasn't progressing they had to put a plan in place. They decided to start repositioning me every 30-45 minutes in hopes to get E to drop and then to recheck me in about 4 hours. If at that point I didn't start to progress we would start having a discussion about a c-section. So, no more sleep for me. Also around this time I started to notice that my epidural was wearing off. After a little bit of investigation Maria noticed that my IV line had been pulled and since they didn't know how long it had been (they worried about contamination) they needed to replace my epidural... again. At least this time I couldn't really feel it. After the epidural was replaced they started me on fluids with Dextrose (sugar) because with the epidural I really couldn't eat and I was feeling nauseous. They also gave me some Zofran for the nausea. I started to feel a lot better once these were administered.

For most of Sunday it was just a matter of repositioning me and trying to get E to descend. I was checked again around 1pm and I had started to make some progress, I think I was dilated to 5cm at this time. The doctor said she would check me again in a couple of hours and at around 3pm I had dilated further to about 6cm and since E and I were both doing well a c-section was no longer warranted. For the most part I was pretty comfortable except for when they had me in a sitting position. I'm not sure if the IV line or the catheter would kink in this position or what, but no amount of drugs could block out that pain. They only put me in this position twice and both times they gave me a bolus of pain meds and readjusted me. So after being turned and rotated all day, at around 8pm (38 hours after my water broke) they checked me again and I was finally dilated to 10cm. Time to start pushing.

For a little while it was just Hilary helping me as you don't really need the doctor until you're about to deliver. At first she thought it wasn't going to take me long to deliver because I had made some good progress but about an hour later E wasn't really moving much. I took a break and during that time noticed that I had at some point kinked my IV and it had blown so Hilary took the opportunity to replace it. Once that was finished I tried pushing again. Around 9:30 since I hadn't made much more progress, we decided to taper down my epidural in hopes that I could feel the contractions better. After another hour and a half of pushing with no progress the doctor said she would try an assisted delivery with the vacuum. She said she would give it 3 tries without the vacuum suction coming off and if E still made no progress then I would have to have a c-section.

At this point my epidural was completely turned off. The goal by having it turned off was so I could be more effective at pushing while the doctor was manipulating E to be able to get her head to pass. To be perfectly honest I'm not exactly sure how long the assisted delivery took, I want to say at least an hour but I'm pretty sure it took longer than that. I was able to take a break while they got set-up and good thing too. At first it was somewhat tolerable but the longer it went on the harder and harder it became for me to hold my composure as the pain was becoming pretty unbearable. I've never experienced anything like that in my life and never want to again. I almost gave up a couple of times but Drew and Hilary along with the other L&D nurse who came to help with the delivery and the nurses from the nursery helped to keep me as focused as possible. I'm just thankful that E tolerated the delivery well and that the doctor felt comfortable continuing with a vaginal delivery. And finally at 2:33am on Monday the 4th, about 44 hours after my water broke and 4 hours after I started pushing, Evelynne was born.

The nursery nurses immediately took her from the doctor as there was a possibility that she had aspirated her meconium. They intubated her immediately and suctioned her lungs to make sure they were clear. However, I couldn't see what was going on nor did I understand why I couldn't hear her cry. Drew kept telling me that she was moving around and that she was pink but the nurses were focused on her and didn't actually say what had happened until a couple of minutes after they had her. While that was going on, the doctor and Hilary were working on me. They immediately gave me pain medication and started me on a couple of different medications to keep me from hemorrhaging. I was unaware until after delivery that the doctor had to do an episiotomy so she began to do the repair. Hilary later informed me that since she began working in L&D a few months ago this was the first time she'd seen any of the doctors do one as they like to avoid it but in my case there was no way E was going to deliver without it. So once I had my sutures and the nurses had finished checking E out, I was finally able to see and hold her about 20 minutes or so after delivery.

Once we got to spend some time with her, they needed to take her and monitor her in the nursery. She had some swelling on her head from where the vacuum was and they needed to do their newborn check up. I sent Drew to the nursery with her while I recovered. The one advantage of having the epidural turned off was that I could get up soon after delivery. Hilary helped me to get up so I could get cleaned up and so she could change my bedding. Drew came back with a report an hour or so later. E was doing fine, they gave her a bath and she was checked out by the NICU nurses. She had a hematoma and some swelling over the area where the vacuum had been placed for delivery. They were a bit concerned because the hematoma was over a suture line on her skull and they wanted to monitor her to make sure the blood wasn't going to migrate under her skull to her brain. She was neurologically appropriate and doing well.

Later in the morning Maria was my nurse again and she moved us to a larger room on the L&D floor until a room opened up on the postpartum floor. Apparently there was an influx of deliveries over the course of the previous couple of days and there weren't any rooms available. After being monitored for a few hours, they brought E back to our room after she was seen by our pediatrician. She confirmed what the NICU nurses had told Drew earlier that she would need to be monitored but that she should be fine. We were moved to the postpartum floor later in the afternoon and luckily since Drew is an employee were we able to get one of the suites (work perk!!).

We ended up staying in the hospital for another two nights. With needing to be on antibiotics, the nature of the delivery and with E needing to be monitored they wanted to keep us an extra night. During our stay E was able to stay in the room with us which was wonderful. The only time we were separated was when she needed to go to the nursery for daily check ups and for blood work. My overnight postpartum nurse Kathryn was great and she was the first one to notice that E was looking jaundice. Luckily, even though her T Bili levels were rising, she didn't need the light therapy and we were able to go home as scheduled on Wednesday.

So far we are doing well at home. Her jaundice is much better and she looks less orange everyday. Her swelling has pretty much resolved and her sores from where the vacuum was are healing up well. The main issue now is that she is very reluctant to breast feed. The lactation consultants, nurses and pediatrician suspect that with her head swelling, jaundice and the fact that we were separated for the first few hours all attribute to why she is having trouble. I'm still hopeful that eventually she'll start nursing but we'll have to see as she prefers a bottle. And I'm not producing much milk which isn't helping the situation either. With the blood loss and the amount of fluids they pushed during and after delivery its not necessarily a surprise that I'm having trouble producing. As for me, I'm recovering slowly but overall doing well. I'm incredibly sore and have edema in my feet, legs and hands. It gets a little better everyday but I'm still not able to wear normal clothes, not even my maternity jeans because of the swelling in my legs, and none of my shoes really fit, even sandals. The doctors all say it should be better over the next couple of weeks but its still irritating. And the dogs have adjusted well. They are both very concerned about her and love to just sit and watch her. And sneak a puppy kiss or two if possible.

So now we're all just adjusting to life as a family of 5 (including the dogs). It's still surreal that she's here and that she's ours but she is such a blessing to our entire family. And this is just the start of our next adventure: parenthood.

    Evelynne's first picture shortly after delivery.

                                             Evelynne at 3 days old during her check up.

Evelynne today, 8 days old. 

What Were We Thinking?

Whatever I said about Drew's Externship being a big adventure I was wrong. Announcing you're pregnant with your first child and that you're moving to a new state all in the matter of a few weeks of each other is an even bigger one. I mean seriously? What were we thinking?

I don't think we ever considered being in this situation a couple of months ago when we first started talking about expanding our family. Now if we went though with getting another dog instead, this whole not having Drew working and needing to find a new job thing wouldn't be that big of a deal. But thankfully its all worked out.

Drew had 2 interviews last week, one in Boise and the other in Reno. He was offered positions from both vascular labs and accepted the offer from Reno. There were a few factors in choosing Reno including a higher hourly wage, higher on-call wage and that we'll be closer to Chico and Redding and we have friends who live in Reno (who are expecting their first child any day). So just because I'm going to miss living by the water, all the green, my job and all the friends and family we have here (and the fact that I will probably get depressed every time I watch Grey's Anatomy) this move will be a good thing for Drew so it'll work out.

And I'm just thankful that we aren't doing this when I'm 7 months pregnant. That would have been a problem. I'm not showing yet and have only been sick once (crossing my fingers that it stays that way) so hopefully the actual act of moving won't be too bad. But we're still not moving for another 3 weeks and so a lot can change in that time. We still need to find a place and I'll need to find a job, but only part-time (yay!) and not necessarily right away either. Maybe now I'll have more time to be able to sit, write and update this blog like I've been saying for over a year. We'll see.

And since Drew isn't working he'll have plenty of time to do a lot packing, with me providing boxes from work. Well, he does have to study for his boards to complete his RVT (registered vascular technologist) registration, but he still gets to do the majority of the packing. I will help, I'm not totally lazy, but more so since I've become pregnant. And just so everyone knows (I think he may feel like he's not getting a lot of credit) he's been wonderful these last few weeks since we've found out. He's extremely excited about becoming a dad and has been waiting on me hand and foot.

Well, with that said, we have to start the actual physical act of moving. Which is my least favorite thing to do on the planet. I'm so tired of moving. Drew promises that we'll only have to move one more time after this. Still not sure if I believe him or not.

Closing this Chapter

Well, we're officially only about 54 days away from Drew's graduation and only a few short weeks away from him finishing his externship at U Dub (June 6th is his last day). This last weekend was the first anniversary of the trip we made to visit the area before we moved. And I still can't believe that we're about to close this chapter of our lives and start a new one. This last year has been challenging but at the same time exciting and a learning experience for both of us, separately and as a couple.

I really wish that I would have kept up on the blog like I wanted to but honestly nothing too interesting happened. We just continued our lives as we had, Drew still in school and me working, just in a new place. I have a feeling (and I hope) that once Drew is graduated we'll have more opportunity to be a little more adventurous that will fill this blog with interesting and humorous reads.

For now, we're going to be in a precarious waiting game over the next month and a half. We still don't have any idea where Drew will be working after graduation. There are a couple of spots in the area for vascular techs, but most are either part time, temp or on call positions. We've been looking at online job postings and the majority of jobs are in the south or east coast. We're interested also in the Portland and Reno areas and have heard about a possible opening in central California (a couple of our friends in the field are letting us know about openings which we appreciate) but ultimately we very much want to stay in Seattle. No news of a spot opening for him at U Dub but his co-workers have been extremely generous in helping Drew prepare his resume and writing him reference letters.

What really sucks (for lack of a better word) is that I'm finally starting to feel a little more settled. I'm starting to like work again and am remembering why I got into my field in the first place. There have been challenging days, as always in the field of ER and speciality practice, but I haven't gone home crying or screaming yet so that's an improvement. The environment at my last place of employment has only gotten worse so I am feeling better and better about no longer being employed there. And I'm feeling more like myself at work, but still not quite opening myself up as much as I used to, and I probably never will again. And not only that but I feel I have a lot of opportunity in Seattle to pursue something else (which I am still debating) if I want to.

So the prospect of moving again is not appealing. I'm getting exhausted just thinking about it. But ultimately if Drew gets a job out of the area then off we go. I know he really wants to stay here too, and particularly at U Dub, so its not just me. We've become accustom to the gray and the rain (I actually am in love with the weather) and we soak up the sun as often as it shows up regardless if its warm or not.  So keep all fingers and toes crossed for us that this next chapter will also begin in Seattle.

Regardless of what happens, I will always be grateful to Seattle and what brought us here. Whether or not we'll be official Washingtonians we'll have to wait and see.

Words Speak Louder than Actions

Well, apparently I made a social networking faux pas last week that cost me my job. Let me explain further....

I've been working at a local emergency and specialty veterinary hospital since we moved here in June. I have had a very hard time at this place for numerous reasons. I haven't agreed with the way the hospital is ran. They have no administration or "management" on site which made it difficult to have anything resolved. Everything was communicated through e-mails which is not effective. Hardly any staff meeting to collaborate as a functional team (wait, what functional team?). There are many staff members that are hostile. Some of the doctors didn't treat support staff with respect. The place is over ran with unexperienced technicians that do not have proper or adequate training or supervision. And regardless of the hospital creed, patients and clients were not always treated with respect. All in all, it was a toxic and stressful place to work. I had tried in the past to go to administration and management with my concerns, but after the first couple of times with no real fix, I gave up. And due to this I myself became toxic and turned into a person I didn't like.

However, I did meet some great people whom I hope to continue to have relationships with. And that is the only thing that kept me going for as long as I did.

Last week I was disrespected by one of the receptionist. I had problems with her over the last few weeks I had worked with her and had about had it with the hospital, staff, everything. I updated my Facebook status out of frustration and management took it as a physical threat towards another staff member. I never said which staff member the status update was about and anyone who knows me, actually knows me, knows that I would never hurt or seriously threaten anyone unless I was in danger. I guess you could say I was in danger of losing myself and my mind.

Ultimately I think they just needed an excuse to terminate my employment. They didn't talk to me about the incident first or question me about the situation, they just took it upon themselves to assume something negative about me and use it to their advantage. That I feel was disrespectful. I was the best ER/Triage technician assistant they had and instead of managing their staff and hospital appropriately, I lost my job.

Now, some of you may be asking: Krysten, did you learn something from this? Absolutely. I learned to limit your work related comments on Facebook (I won't do that anymore, trust me). I also learned to trust people less unless they prove to you they are trustworthy. I took away valuable lessons from the work place as well.

I still have mixed feelings about it.... frustration, betrayal, happiness and a sense of freedom from that place. It never feels good to be fired, regardless of the circumstance, so I'm upset about that. I'm also upset that this could come back to haunt me. And I know my reputation will be tarnished, but I have to let that go. But the only thing I know is that I'm a good and honest person and I did my job well.

In this technological driven age, it is now becoming apparent that words are speaking louder than actions. Online bullying, employers using social networking, etc. etc. So my only advice is to be a little more cautious of what comes flying off your keyboard, whether you mean it or not. Whether you're justified or not. Whether you feel your voice isn't being heard and the only way you can be heard is by shouting though your computer screen.

6 Month Blog Hiatus

     Hello to all our previous blog followers!
     My deepest apologies for not keeping this updated as I initially intended, or said I was going to. What a whirlwind 6 months it has been since I last wrote. I still can't believe that we've been in Seattle for 5 months. It has gone by quickly, but slowly at the same time. Does that make sense?
     Well, for those of you who have been kind of keeping up with us on what had been going on since the move (via Facebook, phone calls, e-mails, word of mouth, short visits, etc.) this will be a little more in-depth but not too much cause I don't want to completely bore you.
     So, the actual move Memorial Day weekend was pretty uneventful. Drew's mom Karen came with us and helped us with the drive and the unloading in our new apartment. No break downs on the highway or issues with the moving truck (except taking the truck to budget while a soccer game was getting out downtown. That was an adventure). Our only issue (major at the time but minor in hindsight) was with the apartment. As you saw in a previous blog about our trip here in April, we secured an apartment but didn't have much time getting to know our manager (though she was extremely helpful) or the property management. So long story short the apartment hadn't been cleaned (annoying but minor). The real problem we had was we heard from another tenant that there was a problem with the property management not paying the utilities that were included in the price of rent and that the city was going to evict all tenants because we can't live somewhere that doesn't have running water. Eventually after about a week of calling the property management, e-mailing our now previous manager (she moved to another complex and had no info of who to contact), etc. etc. I finally called the city to figure out what was going on. They told me that the apartment account was up to date and there were no problems. So why the property management couldn't just tell me that I still have no idea. So no other problems thus far and we currently have a great manger that has been very proactive and has done a lot with the grounds of the complex and is easy to get ahold of.
     For the first 3 1/2 weeks I was here by myself. Drew still had a couple more weeks of school including finals so he was in Klamath and then went to Chico for a little over a week to take some things we couldn't bring with was (his truck, his tools and a few other larger items) to store at his dad's. And also to hang out. Yup, while I was here dealing with the apartment and unpacking and starting a new job he got to mess around. Fair right? I don't think so either. Lucky for him he got here a day before my birthday. ;o)
     One of the great things about us moving here was that I have family friends in the area who took some time to help me paint, unpack, and show me around which I was extremely thankful for. I was in a new city all alone and having familiar faces around was wonderful. I still can't thank Jo, Kandi and the Hannah family enough. And my mom recently moved to the area so that's been nice having her close, though we don't get to spend a lot of time together due to work schedules and life.
     Work for me has been somewhat of a challenge. I started working at AMCS right as they were in the beginning of a transition period (and it still is) which has been stressful. The atmosphere and structure is a lot different than what I'm used to and what I was expecting (I knew it wasn't going to be the same but I wasn't expecting to have this much issue getting adjusted). Things have slowly been getting better and having Adam there every so often (as well as other SOVSC faces here and there) has been a comfort.
     Drew is doing great at U Dub Med Center. Which is good since this is the whole reason why we are up here. He and his extern director Kari get along great (as he does with the other techs he works with) and he's doing well with all the exams he does. He's still learning but the quality of his work I'm told is excellent. We're still crossing our fingers that he'll be hired after graduation which would be amazing. The prospect of having to move again next year is daunting but we'll go wherever he gets a job.
     Which brings me to Seattle itself. We love it here! We love the city (except traffic. I HATE the traffic. And Seattle/Washington drivers are terrible, worst ever!) and all the surrounding areas. There is so much to do and explore and taste. Neither of us has ever lived in a big city before but one of the great things about Seattle is that it doesn't have a big city feel. For those of you who haven't spent much time in the area, Seattle is separated into neighborhoods and each of these neighborhoods has their own community center, atmosphere, and unique qualities. We currently live on the edge of Queen Anne (for those Grey's anatomy fans the area that Meredith lives. We live less than 2 miles from the house they use for screen shots. I have yet to go there but it is on my list of things to do) and Ballard. A lot of people call this area Interbay though you won't necessarily see it called that on a map. We live fairly close to Pike's Market and the rest of the downtown area and we can see the marina of the famous Fisherman's Terminal (for those Deadliest Catch fans where the Northwestern and Wizard dock) from our balcony. There was an adjustment period coming from Klamath to here but we're adjusting quite well. I guess the biggest thing I miss most about Oregon is the snow this time of year and of course all my great friends I left behind.
     So, that's 6 months in a nutshell.
     Drew and I have a few things planned over the next month so hopefully this will help me keep up with the blog. Now that we're more settled and that my schedule is becoming slightly more structured I'll have more time to write.
     Thank you again to all our family and friends that have kept us in your thoughts and prayers during this little adventure of ours. We appreciate it more than you know.

The Seattle Excursion

    Well, I would like to first apologize for my hiatus in the blog. Not a lot has happened in respect to our move to Seattle until this past weekend, however, we've had our fair share of changes in other matters. For instance, I've been working graveyard the last few weeks helping out one of our other techs who has been injured. That's been interesting regarding my schedule. And of course right when I was really starting to get used to it, I'm back on my day shifts... well at least for the next 3 weeks.
    So, trip to Seattle was very productive. We got a lot accomplished. Signed a lease for an apartment, Drew was able to meet with his extern director and get a tour of the vascular lab at University of Washington Medical Center, and I toured Animal Medical Center of Seattle and had another interview at Animal Critical Care and Emergency Services, and we still had a little leisure time as well. All in all, I think Drew and I are very excited and ready to move.
    Drew's dad John joined us on our little trip and we left K. Falls on Thursday afternoon. Due to Oregon weather (we had rain, snow, hail, and bouts of sun all in one day in Klamath) we headed over to Medford and dropped the pups off at work instead of going another route (faster and more direct then heading west then north) through Eugene. We spent Thursday night in Portland instead of making the full trip to Seattle. This way we were able to break up the trip a little. And, I was able to spend a little time with my sister and nephew. Just dinner but time well spent.
    Friday morning we left Portland and took the 2 1/2 hour drive to Seattle. Our hotel was pretty much the ideal spot for our trip (within 5 miles of both the university and our apartment), only problem was the hotel was located an a fairly busy street and there was a lot of construction right in front of the hotel. We had most of our bigger things planned for Friday. We headed over to U Dub Med Center (one thing I hate about Seattle is that you have to pay to park everywhere) and got lost in the hospital. But we eventually found the lab in a new wing of the hospital. We spent about an hour there, Drew got a tour and I spent some time talking to his extern director Kari. One thing I really appreciate about this trip is that we made some really great connections.
    Before going to our appointment to look at the apartment we went looking for food and wound up in the U District (U Dub is huge) where there are lots of little restaurants and shops located in and around the university. We didn't have much time to explore but eventually found a great little sub shop (we ended up eating there twice) and we'll probably end up going back to explore a little more once we move. As far as what Drew told me he's probably going to be spending a lot of time there trying out all the different restaurants.
    So then at 5pm we met with Genevieve (the previous manager of the complex. She just moved and unfortunately won't be our manager. She was really nice and extremely helpful) and looked around the complex a little and saw the apartment. The complex is older but in a really great area. The Queen Anne district which many people think is the best neighborhood in the city. The previous tenant wasn't completely moved out yet and so it hadn't been cleaned but we could at least get a feel for the place. We are pretty much doubling our square footage which is so very nice. We have tons of closet space and a good sized bathroom. The kitchen is small but the best part is that on the west wall we have floor to ceiling windows that leads out to a balcony. And we get to do pretty much whatever we want with the place. I already have plans to paint and eventually replace the flooring in the bathroom and kitchen and maybe a few other things to make it more of our own. And there is a lille pet area for the dogs.
    Saturday was our one day while we were there that we got to relax a little. I was able to go get a tour of Animal Medical Center of Seattle (the other hospital that my boss in Medford is a partner of) and meet a couple of the people that I'll be working with. Its a really nice facility but they operate very differently so there are a lot of new things that I'm going to have to get used to. Later in the afternoon while Drew and his dad stayed at the hotel, I was also able to meet with a very good family friend Kandi and her granddaughter Kendra who I haven't seen since she was a baby for some coffee and a walk around Green Lake. The weather was beautiful all weekend in Seattle but Saturday afternoon was gorgeous. I was able to see the area and all it has to offer for its citizens. It made me really excited to move there.
    Sunday I had an interview at 10am with Animal Critical Care and Emergency Services before we were to head back. Well, I knew they had two locations, one in Seattle and the other in Renton, but didn't realize the interview was in Renton about 30 minutes south of Seattle. I swear I'm never going to read an important e-mail again after I work a graveyard shift with only a few hours of sleep.  So after sitting at the Seattle location for almost a 1/2 hour, the receptionist called just to check for me and sure enough I was at the wrong location. Oh, and don't forget this was after I had already made my little spelling error in my resume. But, it all ended up great and I got the job! Most likely I'll be working one day a week once I get them my schedule at AMCS plus I'll have plenty of opportunity to get some relief work which is exactly what I wanted. So, we finally got on the road about 1pm but we still made really good time getting home.
    Overall, we had a good time and it was a very successful trip. So, if all goes well we will be moving Memorial Day weekend. A couple of thank you's need to be made: First, to Drew's dad for coming with us and second, to everyone at SOVSC who helped out with the schedule so I could get the weekend off.
    Until next time....

Seattle Update

     Good morning everyone. While I'm waiting for my coffee to brew I thought I would write a quick update on Drew and I and our move to Seattle.
     Drew was finally able to get a hold of his extern director at Washington University this week and got some information from her. Drew will be starting on July 5th bright and early at 8am. The vascular lab is open 5 days a week from 7am-5pm (someone is usually there until 9pm) and even though we haven't had confirmation on what hours he will be working and what days (we are at this point assuming 5 days a week) I'm sure we'll know when we go for a visit in May. And even though we had heard that some students in the past and that are currently there are receiving a stipend, Drew unfortunately will not. Which is disappointing (we could have really used the money), but we're still keeping our fingers crossed that they'll be busy enough to hire him as a vascular assistant at some point (which is also known to happen but no guarantees).
     So, we've decided that we'll be moving right around my birthday, probably the 20th or 21st of June. Happy Birthday to me, we're moving to Seattle! :o) We still haven't found a place to rent yet. Its a little early to know what is going to be available in June but we're hoping that enough of the students in the area will be moving away/going back home so that more places will be available. We've decided that we want to be in the north end of town near the university, probably in the north Seattle, Shoreline, Lynwood area. Luckily the university will provide Drew with a free bus pass so its more for my benefit to be close to work (my work update is in the next paragraph). I've discovered some apartment complexes that seem to always have apartments available so we're keeping those in mind though we'd rather be in a house. I've also found a lot of cute, reasonably priced houses too. I still can't quite get over my obsession of looking even though we still have about 3 1/2 months till the move.
     And as for me, my last day at SOVSC will be June 13th. Even though I'm deeply saddened by this (I have made some wonderful friends and have learned tons!) I'm lucky enough to already have a job secured for me in Shoreline at one of my boss' hospitals, Animal Medical Center of Seattle. This is seriously such a relief for us and makes it so I don't have to job search (my least favorite thing to do). So again, and I don't think I will ever be able to say it enough, Thank You, Thank You, THANK YOU ADAM!!!!
     Drew and I are still in shock at how well his extern has worked out for us so far. We are on the west coast, somewhat close to home with close friends near by, at Drew's number one pick, and I already have a job. The plan is to go visit Seattle within the first couple of weeks in May to have tours of the university and my new work establishment and to try and find a place so we won't be living out of the tacoma or a hotel right when we move. And thankfully its been raining a lot over the last week cause I'm going to need to get used to that.
     And again, I have a feeling you're all going to get tired of me saying this, but thank you to everyone who has been keeping Drew and I in their thoughts and prayers. It means so much to both of us for all your support. We still have a long way to go and a lot to do before we get there so its very much appreciated to have that continued support.
     We'll keep you updated as we get more information. I'm also going to try to start adding more pictures to the blog (I already added one of the dogs to my first blog for those of you who haven't seen them) and more on our daily lives as we prepare for the move. I know, interesting right? At the moment we're kind of in a lull with the extern since nothing too exciting is going to be happening until our visit in May. So I gotta write about something. :o)

We're Following the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City!

     By now I'm sure that most of you know by our posts on Facebook, and phone calls and text messages, that Drew and I are moving to Seattle! What a crazy day this has been. We're both exhausted but extremely excited. You wouldn't think that something like this would be so stressful, but it was the most stressful day that Drew and I have encountered together but we survived and probably are a stronger couple because of it. So today's blog is a more detailed account of what actually happened in the few hours leading up to the draw, what was happening during and after we found out where we're headed. 
     I got off work at 9pm last night and headed home. I was very thankful that one, we were busy enough to help keep my mind off the draw but able to talk about my concerns in between (thank you to my wonderful co-workers and friends for helping me stay calm!) and two, that the roads were mostly clear so I could get home safely. I got home at about 10:45 and of course Drew and I were talking immediately about different scenarios and outcomes etc. etc. I know that I was stressed about it, but I can't even imagine what else was going on in Drew's head that he wasn't telling me. We both tried to do our best to keep each other calm but in a situation of literally not knowing where you're going to be living in about three and a half months is very nerve wracking and was causing a lot of anxiety in our house. The decision I had to make was if I was going to stay home or wait outside his classroom and couldn't decide where I was going to be less of a mess. But ultimately I made the decision to go and wait for him which was the best.
     We finally got to bed around 12:30 and of course Drew was asleep within a few minutes but not me. After a few episodes of Grey's, I was finally able to get my mind focused enough on the show instead of what was going to happen in the morning and dozed off around 3am. It wasn't peaceful either. I woke up a few times between then and ore alarm going off at 6:45 and so did Drew. We got ready and were out the door by 7:30 and headed up to the school.
     By the time we got there most of his other classmates were already there and a lot of the other spouses/fiances/boyfriends/girlfriends were there as well (along with other students from different programs to find out the outcome) so at least I wasn't going to be sitting outside the classroom alone. His teachers showed up shortly after and the students began filing in the classroom. With a quick good luck kiss I found myself sitting and waiting. 
     One of Drew's classmates ended up calling her husband waiting outside and he turned on his speaker phone so we could try and hear what was going on. Technically, this isn't allowed but it gave us a little comfort. The reception quality wasn't that great and it was hard to hear over everyone talking but it was something.
     The first site that was drawn was Peoria, Illinois. At first it didn't look like anyone was going to put in for it but than Arnold decided that he would go ahead and just take it. Then the Bellevue site was drawn, Drew put his name in along with 6 other people and his classmate Ashley, who's husband's phone we were listening through, got it. Next was Washington University, which again Drew put in for along with 6 people (remember, that's almost half his class) and luckily his name was drawn. When I was listening, I swore that I heard Drew's name announced but no one else heard it and kept asking each other if they heard so I didn't want to jinx myself and say it was Drew just in case it wasn't. Next Florida and Cleveland were drawn and no one put in for them so they were placed aside as an open site so anyone at anytime during the rest of the draw could take those sites. And so on and so on... Baltimore, Davis, Vermont, Salt Lake, Boise.... all came and went and I still didn't have an answer as to where we were going. 
     Then the phone call was dropped and it was all over. Then they started filing out of the room. Drew was first out and came over and just handed me his card with all his site information on it. And it was confirmed of what I had been hoping for over 20 minutes (and the last few months)..... University of Washington! All of the stress and anxiety went away. But, with joy came disappointment. Two of Drew's classmates unfortunately are headed to Florida and Baltimore, neither of them being in their top 5, and are obviously upset. It was hard to contain my excitement and relief but I couldn't help it either. That could have easily been us. 
     The rest of the day was dedicated to a celebratory breakfast with his teachers and classmates and then our normal routine. Grocery shopping, laundry, and preparing for our snowboard trip tomorrow. Then a much needed nap and some quality time with the dogs. Even they are excited today. They don't know why, they just know that mom and dad are happy, so they are happy. 
     So, the next couple of months are going to be dedicated to getting to know the Seattle area from here, looking for places that we are going to want to live, and eventually going to visit sometime in April and june to look around and go visit the medical center that he will be working at (and maybe even touring a veterinary hospital that I can potentially have a job at!). 
     Again, Drew and I want to express how much we appreciate all of you keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We feel very blessed and are extremely excited! We will keep all of you updated as our move progresses. Thank you!

It's Official: Extern Draw Next Monday!

     So, Drew's professors have announced that they are moving the externiship site draw up from March 7th to February 28th, which is next Monday. I know its only moved 7 days early but we're still very nervous! This day is going to determine where we are going to live for the next year starting in June and is most likely going to shape the rest of our lives. 
     I'm going to explain exactly how this works for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about. There are about 18 people in Drew's class for vascular. Each of these students are sent somewhere in the US for their senior year to get hands on experience and training so when they graduate and start work they already have a year of experience. On the day they draw, all the students have their top 5 sites selected (in reality this doesn't really matter but the teachers try to make sure the students get one of their top 5 sites). The professors have two separate hats (literally). One with the sites and one for the students to put their names in. The professors start by drawing one site. Then, whoever wants to go to that site, the student put their name in the other hat, the professors pull out a name, and whoever's name is drawn they go to that site. They continue until everyone has a site. Then, if the students want to, they are able to trade up until 48 hours. 

Our top 5 sites are:

Seattle, Washington (1 site at Washington University, another in Seattle, and 1 in Bellevue)
Portland, Oregon
Springfield, Oregon
Boise, Idaho
Reno, Nevada

Other sites include:

Peoria, Illinois
Sacramento, California (Davis)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Hersey, Pennsylvania
Cleveland, Ohio
Burlington, Vermont
Venice, Florida
Baltimore, Maryland
And Oakland, California (Ew.)


     Unfortunately, changes in extern sites happen every year. Both hospitals in Medford host students, but not this year (we are very disappointed by this). Cedar Sinai and OSHU also usually take students but have decided against it. And too bad Hawaii is never an "official" site (you have to prove you can live there without going into major debt) cause that would be awesome!
     Anyway, since there are more than one spot available in the Seattle area we are very hopeful that we will get one. Our reasoning behind Seattle is that not only have I always wanted to live there, but one of the doctors I currently work for has another emergency and specialty hospital in the area. There are also several other emergency hospitals in the area so (crossing my fingers) it will be less of a process for me to find a job. During this year, Drew is most likely not going to be able to work so for me to be able to find a job (most likely two jobs) is extremely important. Also, its somewhat close to home. 
     So, please, please, please send prayers, good thoughts and finger crosses our way that we are able to either go to Seattle or stay in Oregon! 

The Reynolds in Review

     Drew and I have been "The Reynolds" for about 1 year and 5 1/2 months. Even though we have been together for almost 6 years, we are still newlyweds and trying to figure out exactly what being married means. Since Drew has been a Reynolds all his life, I on the other hand have not, and wanted to start out right. So I wanted to know what the meaning of the surname Reynolds is and had a delightful discovery. Reynolds means sincere or pure love and also derives from the Old English meaning of love. What a great way for me to start out as a Reynolds, knowing that our name literally means "love." And pretty much that's all we're living off of at the moment. 
     So, for those of you who don't know Drew and I very well, my first post will be giving you a little bit of history and what is ahead of us.
     To start at the beginning:
     I transferred to College of the Siskiyous in January of 2005 to begin the stages to transfer to Southern Oregon University in Ashland for a History degree and later the Masters in Teaching Program. Little did I know that my future husband lived on the floor below me. To make a long story short, we met at a party of a mutual friend (one that Drew wasn't supposed to be at that weekend), followed by a snowboarding date later that same weekend. We began to date in March and became exclusive in July. 
     We continued to attend COS through the summer of 2006 before we moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon when Drew was accepted to Oregon Institute of Technology. I, not really knowing what I wanted to do and afraid living apart would hinder our relationship, followed Drew to Klamath Falls while still attending SOU (I commuted twice a week to Ashland for classes). I was working and going to school full-time and eventually made the decision to move to Ashland in 2007 to finish school. 
     With budget cuts at SOU and staffing cuts in the History department and my own personal financial issues, I decided to put school on hold in 2008 and focus on working. Luckily, I had obtained a great job as a veterinary assistant/technician at the Southern Oregon Veterinary Specialty Center and eventually through that process decided that teaching wasn't going to be for me. 
     Throughout all the craziness of figuring out what I wanted to do, Drew and I held strong. And instead of living apart hindering our relationship, it actually made us stronger. Knowing that living apart that we could trust each other and grow independently and as a couple, made me realize that he was the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. 
     And I got my wish. In May of 2008, Drew proposed on a gorgeous spring day. We were engaged for a little over a year before saying "I do" on August 29th, 2009. I moved back to Klamath Falls, got a job at general practice veterinary clinic that I had worked at previously, decided that I wasn't being pushed in the field, went back to SOVSC, and have been supporting Drew while he finishes school. We've even started a little Reynolds pack, with our dogs Mika and Emmy, who are our four legged children. 

     So now, Drew is just about to finish out his junior year in the Vascular Imaging program at OIT. For those of you who aren't aware of how the medical imaging program works, the student's senior year is spent at a hospital or clinic somewhere in the country to get hands on education and training. That is what we are currently facing at this stage of our lives: figuring out where Drew's externship is going to be at. 
     Which is the basis of this blog: following us as we go on this adventure and probably beyond. At this point, we don't know where we are headed. On either February 28th or March 7th we will find out where we are going. That is when I am hopeful that this blog will take off and I will have more interesting and entertaining things to blog about. I hope that this will bring you a little more insight about Drew, myself, and us as a couple. And I hope that our experiences, our trials, our successes, and everything in between will enrich your life, somehow.