Life Happens

I mentioned in an earlier post that David would be taking a 250-mile bike ride along the Katy Trail this summer. We had everything worked out for him to do that this week, but we had a change of plans. Life Happens.

David and I received a phone call last Sunday morning that one of our dear friends in Oklahoma City was in a head-on collision (they are suspecting that she was hit by a drunk driver). Our friend, Jenn, was trapped in the car for at least an hour before anyone could get her out safely. They had to use the Jaws of Life because the car was in such horrible condition. By the time we received the phone call, she had been placed in ICU Trauma.

We didn't even give it a second thought and immediately packed our bags so we could leave early the next morning. David and I arrived in OKC Monday around 3 pm. Things were pretty hectic with the hospital so we didn't see her that evening.

We were able to see her in the hospital yesterday. David and I arrived at 8am. Only 2 people were allowed in the room at a time, so we took turns going in with Randy. Randy is Jenn's long-term boyfriend who is also a close friend of ours. I've known Randy for over 7 years now and I actually met David through him. Randy has been at the hospital with her almost around the clock. Jenn has no family in town other than her 2 daughters, which are ages 14 and 16. Her parents have been vacationing in Las Vegas and didn't want to cut their trip short for whatever reason. They were supposed to get in last night. Hopefully they'll be able to spend time with her this afternoon so Randy and David can take care of more necessary errands.

Randy needed to find out where the car was and take pictures yesterday. He asked me to take them, but I decided it was better if David took them so I could stay with Jenn. I didn't want her to be alone. She was in and out all afternoon. We were able to carry on a conversation for a little bit and then she would just doze off because of the narcotics. Some of the things we reminisced about were pretty funny and made her laugh a little. I know the laughing hurt, but we couldn't help ourselves.

Jenn is an absolute sweetheart! I get sad sometimes because David and I have been in St. Louis the past 2 years separated from our friends and family. Yea, we keep in touch with Randy and Jenn, but we obviously don't get to hang-out or double date very often.

For all of my Prayer Warrior friends, I'd like to post a list of her known injuries. If you are sensitive to medical conditions, please do not continue reading. There are no pictures, but the words alone may put graphic images in your mind. It's not easy to handle.

Both heels on feet were shattered

Both ankles broken

Deep cut on left thigh ( a drain was put in and it has been stitched)

Fracture near the tailbone

Some pedicles on the sides of the vertebrae were fractured

(the spinal injuries should not cause paralysis)

5 fractured ribs

Fractured sternum

Small nose fracture (not noticeable)

Hole in bottom lip about 12 to 15 stitches

Some small bleeding in the brain (is showing improvement)

A bruise on the front lobe of the brain

A black eye

Lots of cuts and bruises on hands and legs

The main risks now that the doctors are monitoring:

High risk for pneumonia from the fractured ribs

The brain injuries

And making sure the heart was not damaged from the sternum fracture

My thoughts and prayers go out to Jenn

and her loved ones.

While I don't like the circumstances that brought us back to Oklahoma City, I am thankful that we are able to be here for her and her loved ones. I wish David and I could stay here for a couple of weeks to help with things, but we're probably going to have to head back home on Friday. David starts his surgery rotation soon and he cannot miss a day.

I'll try to keep my Prayer Warriors posted on her progress. Thank you in advance for your thoughts and prayers. They are deeply appreciated!

David's Aunt Amy...

was featured on the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum website.

Check it out by clicking here to hear a little bit about her story.

Engagement Photo Shoot

I don't kiss and tell...

I don't shoot and show....

Jason and Kim asked if I would take their Engagement photos. I'm not a pro, but I do enjoy taking pictures.

We met up while I was in OKC and took tons of pics around the city. They received a copy of all the pics the night before they went to Canada, so I'm not even sure if they've had a chance to pic out their favorites yet.

I won't be displaying any of the photos on here for now, but I do have one cute photo I'd like to share.

This photograph is of Jason, Kim, and their dog, Koa at Lake Hefner in OKC.

It was fun taking pics of you lil' lovebirds!

I hope I was able to capture the perfect moment for a great Engagement photo. = )

29, really?

I celebrated my 29th Birthday in OKC this year. It was really a lot of fun!

I just hung out all day by the pool. I received lots of phone calls, texts, and facebook messages wishing me a Happy Birthday. It made me feel so loved!

David and I stopped by my parents house because my brother and his fiance were there for dinner. Jason and Kim were leaving for Canada the next morning, so I figured we better go ahead and give them their engagement gift. We picked out a gorgeous pair of Waterford Toasting Flutes. We didn't have any at our wedding, but think they're very festive and wanted Jason and Kim to have a pair. Happy Engagement!!!!

I also received some cards from my parents and Jason & Kim. Thanks for the cards and the birthday money. I know I'm getting pretty difficult to shop for these days. Priorities change when you live off student loans.

We then met up with 4 of our friends for my Birthday dinner at Abuelos. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE Mexican food. It's my absolute favorite and there's really not any good Mexican food here in St. Louis, so I have to fill up when I'm back home. I had an enchilada platter with 1 chicken enchilada, 1 avocado enchilada, and 1 shredded beef enchilada with a side of refried beans and Papas con Chile (potatoes). Of course, I had to splurge and treat myself to a Gato because it was my birthday. A Gato is a beer over ice with lime in a salted glass. So good!

Our friend, Randy, wanted to treat us all to chocolate fondue at the Melting Pot for dessert. I was already stuffed, but I was game for whatever. So, we went to the Melting Pot in Bricktown and enjoyed their Tiramisu fondue and their S'mores fondue. All I can say is Y-U-M!!!

Here are a couple of pics.......

Randy, David, and Rick, playing a game on Randy's iPhone

Our dessert dippers for the chocolate fondue

Thank you Randy for the great idea and birthday gift of dessert fondue with friends.

You're awesome!

Somebody's gotta do it....

Maddy and Luke are such fun, loving, and sharing people that they came up with the brilliant idea of having a group honeymoon. So, a group of 60 went to Cozumel following the wedding.

David and I had planned to go for over a year, but the airline tickets were a little too ridiculous for us. So, we offered to house and dog-sit while everyone else was in Cozumel. Some people may think this is crazy, but this house & dog-sitting was like no other. Seriously!

We lounged by the pool, swam laps, enjoyed the hot tub, and played with the pups for a week. I know it sounds brutally challenging, but somebody had to do it. LOL!

Here are a few pics of us being sad that we didn't go to Cozumel.......

(I sure hope you can sense my sarcasm!)

Ethan hates showers and baths, but he loved this pool!

I thought this was cute

Me and Sophie (daughter of the newlyweds)

Ethan was one hot dog!

Me and Sophie again. We became buddies!

David with Ethan, Sophie, and Arnosh

I met my mom for some fro-yo at the new Orange Tree in Edmond.

It was absolutely delish! I tried the peanut butter, the cookies and creme, and the coffee.

The coffee was my favorite. Oh, and I just had to add some toppings. = )

This was my mom's creation. She tried the fruity flavors and added fresh fruit on top.

I think we both liked the peach the best. It tasted like a real fresh peach!

David and Ethan playing catch

Wet Dog!!!

Catching some rays!

Gotta get my Vitamin D - Doctors Orders!

Ahhh, so relaxing.

A special thanks to our wonderful friends for allowing us to house & dog-sit. It was so nice to be able to stay in OK for a week so we could visit our other friends and family, shop, and dine, then return to our "resort" for some relaxation. I think it worked out perfectly for all of us.

Has it really been 6 years???

06/07/2003

David and I knew we would be spending our 6 year Wedding Anniversary in OKC, so we wanted to share it with some of our friends and family that were a part of our big day 6 years ago.

I arranged to have an Anniversary Dinner at Hideaway Pizza in Edmond. This is the same place we had our Rehearsal Dinner. Yes, I did that on purpose. = )

Here are a few pics....

Surprise!!!

I ran into Lindsay while she was working at Hideaway.

She is the daughter of my old HS clarinet teacher.

I used to babysit this young lady when she was little.

It was so great to see her again!!!

Me and Shalah! She is an AWESOME friend!

I'm so blessed to have her in my life.

My brother with his fiance, Kim, and Alex.

Alex grew up in St. Louis, so we have fun

talking about Imo's, Ted Drewes, and the Cardinals.

Me, David, Caleb (David's younger brother), and Christa (Caleb's new girlfriend)

Me, David, and Tim (David's Dad)

Me, David, and Daniel (David's youngest (of 5 boys) brother)

Me and David with the Jackson Family.

David and Jerry were co-workers and he knew we

were meant to be together.

One day he actually said to David,

"When are you going to put a ring on that finger?"

Me, David, Jennifer (Randy's significant other),

and Randy

David and I met through Randy.

I met Randy at a Youth Workers Meeting

on my 22nd birthday and found out that he was also a

music major where I went to school.

Me and Alex (my brothers best friend)

Me and David with the Lacey kids.

Hudson was the ring bearer at our wedding & Lauren was our flower girl.

They're growing up so fast!

The Lacey's were my neighbors (when I lived with my parents)

and I was Hudson's first babysitter.

I started babysitting him when he was only 6 weeks old.

So, I've known these kids for their entire lives.

Love them to pieces!!!

Their parents are unbelievably awesome, too!!!

Thank you to everyone who was a part of our special day 6 years ago. We enjoyed seeing some of you at our Anniversary dinner. We look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Wedding in OKC

David and I traveled back home to OKC for my best friend's sisters wedding. We drove to OKC on June 5th and attended the rehearsal dinner that evening. It was at the groom's parents home. It was absolutely beautiful. We couldn't have asked for better weather. The decorations and food were fabulous. It was so nice to be able to see everyone before the big day.

Purple Iris!

They were the centerpieces at the rehearsal dinner.

Jordon and Mark

David had a good time!

Having a good time!

Mother of the Groom & Mother of the Bride

The ceremony on June 6, 2009

Madison and Lucas - So in LOVE!

The Beautiful Bride!

I like sneaking photographs

of the Happy Couple

The 7-tiered cake was amazing!

Each reception centerpiece was different.

They were gorgeous!

Me and my Best Friend, Jordon (sister of the bride)

David and I had a blast. We are so happy and thankful to be a part of this family.

CONGRATS Maddy and Luke!

The WAIT.

David called me at 2:30pm to inform me that he finished the exam. I wasn't expecting him to be done so early. But what a relief! It's over. We survived!

Now we get to wait until sometime in July to find out his score.

I'm so happy I will have my hubby all to myself for a while. I won't have to compete with a bunch of medical textbooks..... And no more Robbins Pathology.

So, while we wait for the score, we're going to try to stay busy and have as much fun as possible. We'll actually be hanging out poolside all next week and catching up with friends and family. I can't wait!

Thanks for all of your prayers, kind words, and support. It means a lot to us!

Testing in Progress....

Let's start off with a little side note today...

I'm not really sure how many people are keeping up with our blog these days. While I do enjoy sharing our journey with interested family and friends, I also enjoy typing up these experiences for my own personal reflection. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that today's blog is mostly for myself. You may read on if you'd like, but this is a day that should definitely be documented in the history book of David and Jenn. = )

David is taking Step 1

of the

United States Medical Licensing Examination

right now!!!

Last night was pretty rough. I didn't get much sleep. I was so nervous for David. He, on the other hand, managed to get in a solid 6 hours. That's pretty good sleep for someone with major insomnia problems.

I dropped David off at the test site at 7:25am. On the way there, we just talked about anything that would lighten the situation. Ya know, couple talk. I tried to encourage him as much as possible. I even said things like, "If so and so can pass this and be a doctor, then this will be cake for you." We had a few good laughs.

I was holding back the tears the entire way there. Why is this so difficult for me to handle? Well, there are multiple reasons. Being a doctor is David's dream! Of course, I always joke with him because I didn't sign up for this when we were married. This was never an issue or even a thought. We were living a completely different and very comfortable life back then. I was a band director and he was on the road to financial success. His goal was to become an investment banker. All I can say is that things change, passions change, and people change.

Also, we're already 8 hours away from our friends and family back home. If he does well, we have a chance at being a little closer for Residency. I'm okay with never moving back to OKC, but I would like to be closer when we start a family.

David is taking this exam at a very early date. Many Med Students aren't taking it until the end of June. I think getting it over with made him much more efficient in his studying. He didn't have time for distractions. He's been studying 16 hours a day. It's been rough on both of us. I wouldn't ever wish this experience on anyone. I sure don't know how military families survive.

After I dropped David off, I went to St. Louis Bread Co. (aka Panera) and treated myself to an everything bagel with plain reduced fat cream cheese. I could hardly get the thing down. I honestly feel like I handle stress worse as I age. I wonder if anyone else feels that way? Do they make medication for that? LOL!

Following Bread Co., I went to pick up my new glasses. It's crazy, but I never realize how bad my eyesight is until I can see again. These new spectacles are fabulous. I can see!!! Hopefully this will help with all of my squinting and headaches.

I'm home now and I feel like I'm sitting on pins and needles just twiddling my thumbs. I have thought about calling my mom, but I know that'll start a shower of stressful tears. There are 2 bags of laundry that I'm about to throw in the wash, but that will only keep me busy for a few minutes. I guess it's time to do a little more scrapbooking, cleaning, or packing. We're leaving for OKC in the am, and I've very excited. I only wish it wasn't such a long drive.

So, if you made it through this post, please add David to your prayer list and send him warm wishes/happy thoughts/lots of luck today. Our entire future rides on this exam.

Running Out of Time!

This is THE WEEK!

David takes Step 1 of the USMLE this Thursday. He's been studying 16 hours a day in preparation for this exam. It's awful and is no fun for either one of us. (I'm thankful I'm not the one having to study this much right now.)

We've been on opposite schedules since I've been back in town. He's been studying all night and into the day. I generally sleep at night and he's still studying when I wake up. Then I usually try to fill my day with something that's at least half way exciting so I don't start feeling too sorry for myself.

It's crazy, but because of our opposite schedules, I still haven't unpacked from my trip. I have been home for full 5 days! Every little bit of sleep he can squeeze in is very important, and I certainly don't want to disturb him. That suitcase is just gonna have to wait.

Here's what I've been doing to pass the time since I've been home from OKC:

1. Goofing off on facebook

2. Researching anything and everything that comes to mind while I'm on the internet

3. Scrapbooking

4. Shopping online.... A big NO, NO! = ) Hey, at least it's for gifts for other people.

5. Shopped, ordered, and picked up my new prescription shades

6. Chilled on the patio at Starbucks while listing to the great music on my iTouch. I even caught some rays.

7. Baked some cookies..... they're not really getting eaten though. We don't need them. ; )

8. Took Ethan to PetSmart to look around and waste time

9. Took Ethan on several walks

10. Texting friends and family back in OKC

11. Had the oil changed in my car at the Honda dealership

12. Dropped my car off at the tire place so they could remove a nail and patch the tire.... then walked home.

13. Made Ethan a grooming appt for this Wednesday

14. Went to the Dollar store because I needed a glue stick...they didn't have any, but I still made several purchases. Oops.

15. Went to Walgreens, found a gluestick, and bought a couple of other things. Another Oops!

David and I have tickets to a Cardinals game tomorrow night, but he's going to pass on it this time since his exam is so close. So, my wonderful friend, Lacey, was nice enough to agree to go with me. Her husband has to work that night, so we get to have some major girl time and check out the baseball boys. LOL!

The CARDS game is my next big thing to look forward to. I can't wait!!!

GO CARDS!