Highlights of Year 2, Semester 2

So I know we just finished Year 2, Semester 3 and I'm a little behind on this, but I don't want to forget some of the great moments of Robbie's spring semester! This blog is, after-all, somewhat of a journal for us to look back on someday.

1) THE WHITE COAT CEREMONY
I wrote about this in a previous post, but Robbie received his White Coat in a ceremony marking the transition from student to Dental Care practitioner. His parents, sister, brother-in-law and nephews were able to come as well as my parents and one of my sisters. We celebrated afterward by going to a delicious Mexican restaurant called Ajuua!

2) GETTING NUMBED UP BY ROBBIE
I know this probably sounds crazy (especially to anyone not married to a Dental Student) but letting Robbie practice numbing me up for the first time was freaking awesome! It made me realize just how much I trust him and I experienced first hand one of the many skills he is gaining in school. What a long way he's come from those first days when he was filling in shapes with wax.

And he did such a great job, too! A tiny pinch but no real pain!

3) PRESENTATION FOR A.O.
Robbie joined a Dental Fraternity this year called Alpha Omega. They asked me to give a presentation about the rules of clinic, infection control, etc. because of my position as a Dental Assistant at the school. I had a great time prepping a PowerPoint and overall felt the presentation went pretty smoothly. I even threw in a few witty jokes for good measure.

4) BABY HENRY WAS BORN
Yes, I do indeed have another nibling! He was born in March to my third-oldest sister and he is absolutely adorable! How could you not love a baby who smiles so much?

 Are you overwhelmed by the cuteness yet?


5) OUR SPRING BREAK TRIP TO PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO
Jeez this is making me realize how behind I am on this blog. I didn't even write a post about our Spring Break trip! We went to Puerto Vallarta for 5 days and stayed at an all-inclusive resort (a first for me). Robbie's favorite thing by far about all-inclusive vacations is the unlimited quantities of food he has access to. And the hotel we stayed at did not skimp on the variety. Every day was a new buffet of deliciousness. We also got to go kayaking, shoot a little archery, soak in the sun by the pool, and even get a massage right on the beach.

The view from our hotel room

Yes, I am wearing a Little Mermaid shirt.

It had a swim-up bar just to the right of the picture.

The massage hut. It was glorious.

I honestly can't get enough of this guy! He is my favorite travel buddy!

6) SEARCHING FOR OUR FIRST HOME
Technically we didn't close on our house until the beginning of Summer Semester, but our search took up almost all of Spring Semester. Let me just tell you that the process of buying a home was a steep learning curve. I had no idea what a Conventional Loan was compared to an FHA loan. I had no idea how competitive and stressful the whole process would be. In the end it was well worth it and I feel like I am a little better at handling stress now.

I've posted this before, but this is right after we closed on our home.

Our cute little kitchen. The margarita glass was left by the previous owners when they abandoned the place.

Ah, this room. There have been some major improvements to this room since we moved in. I hope to write a post about the transformation as soon as I'm all done. The previous owners obviously let their child go nuts with paint in here.

The best improvement that was done before we moved in was having all new carpet put in. The former carpet was covered in mystery pet stains and wreaked like you wouldn't believe.

It was a hard semester-- probably the hardest of my life. But I'm beginning to see some of the ways God used it to mature us as a couple and we now are reaping the benefits of owning our first home.

Sun and Rain

I'm currently sitting on my comfy tan couch in our living room listening to the thunder rumbling from the afternoon shower that just passed through. While this summer has given us mostly mild temperatures in the 80's, yesterday and today shot up to 100 degrees. Having an air conditioner installed in our new home is still on the to-do list and even with all the windows open, the house felt horribly stifling. I laid awake in bed a good portion of the night last night adjusting and readjusting the wet cloth on my face, then my neck, then my leg, then back to my face in a desperate attempt to cool off. We had a tall fan that I pointed directly at our bed going full blast all night but even that only took the edge off.

After school today, Robbie and I ran to the grocery store (in our basket: frozen chocolate covered bananas, frozen waffles, and ice cream-- seriously). We walked out and I was never more happy to feel chilly little raindrops plopping down on my head. Now that the rain has passed through, I'm relishing in the cold breeze that's flowing in our windows. I can't wait to lay down my head tonight and feel that cool breeze wash over me as I sleep.

All I keep thinking about as I sit here is that this year of Dental School has felt like that night that was too hot. I've been tossing and turning, trying to find just a little bit of comfort, unable to find real rest. And then all of a sudden, raindrops of refreshment started falling. We closed on our house. Robbie's work load at school started to settle down to a more manageable level. We finally found a church to call home in Denver. I started working with the youth group. But the best part is that I feel Jesus breathing life back in me again. Reading my Bible has become engaging again. I'm desiring time with Him again.

Whether this is just a short respite before another heat wave, or a rainstorm that will cool the breeze for awhile, it is the refreshment I've been needing.