Letters

Dear 2011,

I loved you a lot.  I loved the planning, the bridal parties, the family and friends time and every second of the wedding.  I loved the honeymoon, the moving in together and every day since with my husband.  Dental school... I didn't love the boards, the terrifying clinic experiences or the hundreds of exams. However, I do love that I survived.  I also love that the idea of filling a tooth no longer keeps me up the entire night before.  2011... you brought surprises, sadness, humility, fun, responsibility, maturity, but mostly utter happiness. Thanks 2011 for making me who I want to be. 

Sincerely, Erin

Dear 2012,

I am excited for you.  I look forward to an anniversary trip to California, to becoming a senior in dental school and to our last full year in Omaha! I will relish in my last year of having a real spring and fall, and enjoy the 16 more months of having shopping where I live.  Please don't let my 25th birthday come too fast... that seems way too close to being 30. It will be nice to rent a car for cheaper, though.  2012, teach me how to be a better me, and if you have time rebuild my desire to run again.  I hope that 2012 gives us some visitors to Omaha, and that the black eyed peas bring us prosperity. Oh, and Edward I look forward to you on November 16, 2012. 

With Hopeful Admiration,

Erin

My Truelove gave to me...

We headed to Cheyenne for the holiday season.  We had all 6 of my siblings, spouses and 7 nieces and nephews.  It was crazy! However, my mom is amazing... notice the Christmas dinner place-settings.  It really was a perfect celebration.  Enjoy pictures of the craziness!!!

Halfsies

There is a wonderful time of year that Creighton likes to call "Fall Break."  That's right 3 days of no clinic, no classes and no tests. Mine was... well magical.  My running partner and I headed to Kansas City for the break.  We met my mom there for some pre-race shopping and exploring then husbands drove down to support us.  Saturday we conquered 13.1 miles.  While this may seem like a far stretch from my 30 by 30 goal, it is a pretty big deal for me.  Plus it means I get to take a break from 5:30 am runs! Please excuse the less than flattering post-13.1 mile pictures.

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After the run we took advantage of mid-west living and headed over to Liberty Jail.  Even though I was a tad bit tired and sore, it was still a wonderful experience.  I'm sad the break is over, but I am now refreshed for another magical week of dental school.  Sometimes I just wish I could do half days of dental school too.

Midwest post Midterms

So 5 tests in 3 days, full patient schedule and lab work made for a really, really messed up week.  I NEEDED a perfect weekend... and luckily I had one.  Mexican food, brunch, apple picking, catching up on 19 Kids and Counting, and my last long run before my half marathon. Notice I did not mention any aspect of school! It was unbelievably wonderful. I managed to accomplish something way better than anything I do in school, though...

I realized on the way to the orchard that my domestic skills lacked in the area of what to do with the apples that we were about to pick.  Luckily I googled a recipe and attempted my first apple pie! How did it go?

Given it was NOT the best pie ever, but I made it.  I'm pretty proud of myself. Plus we now own a pie pan since Austin didn't think it would fit in my heart shaped cookie sheet.

30 by 30

This recent birthday (the big 2-4) really got me thinking about approaching my late twenties.  It might be the fact that I'm now older than my husband, or that graduation is a mere 18 months away, but I have really been thinking about goals.  So with no further ado I present my 30 goals to accomplish before 30.  Keep in mind they are not in order of significance, and I hold all rights to necessary changes. 

1) Graduate from dental school

2) Get an awesome job

3) Pay off student loans with said awesome job

4) Run a marathon

5) Have a kid (after Kristen has one)

6) Go to Maui

7) Buy a house

8) Re-learn cello... and touch up piano while I'm at it

9) Take a girls trip

10) Go to New York with Austin

11) Learn to cook Indian food

12) Get really good at veneers

13) Retire the subaru with purchase of new subaru

14) Go to the Fort Collins LDS Temple open house

15) Do a bike race

16) Attempt giving blood again

17) Give someone a beautiful smile for free

18) Learn to take decent pictures

19) Take a Spanish class... pointing and saying "dolor" only gets me so far

20) Wakeboard successfully

21) Read Les Miserable

22) Grow a garden

23) Make pasta from scratch

24) Learn to french braid

25) Do something wonderful for my parents

26) Mentor someone

27) Volunteer for a campaign

28) Go to all my roomates' weddings

29) Celebrate 6 anniversaries with my husband

30) Be on the road to become a good parent

Grown Ups

Child version of Erin was a big fan of playing house.  There were check books, dolls, business plans and budgets. My real life friend, Emily, was often my "grown-up" friend Julie.  Jackie (my alias) and Julie conquered the adult world.  We had J & J... our successful corporation, Julie was married to Jonathon Taylor Thomas, and we were waitresses on the side.  We had the life.  Last weekend, though, I realized Emily had grown up.. and out. lol. She now has a great job, wonderful husband and a soon-to-be baby girl.  I'm so proud of who she has become. In celebration of her, we met in Cheyenne for a baby shower! Thanks for coming Jessica and Emily!

It was so much fun to plan, and I can not wait to meet the "tweet baby girl!"

Birthday Wishes

August 21st is always a pretty awesome day, but yesterday was perfect.  My family and friends made it such a perfect day.  23 was such a whirlwind, crazy and wonderful year. I feel very blessed to be where I am today, and am excited for the adventures of being 24! Here's a documentation of the day... courtesy of our new and exciting camera!!!!

Omaha friends that came to my extra special birthday BBQ

I kind of love him

Although not evident through this blog... I don't eat cupcakes everyday

Proof of the camera...

My mom came all the way to Omaha just to celebrate! She's the best.

I hope everyone's August 21st was as amazing as mine!!!!

Back to CUSOD

Back to school for those of you who aren't familiar with the brilliant abbreviation for the Creighton University School of Dentistry.  It was great of course.  After my whole 2.5 week summer break I was ready to return to class and clinic.  Honestly, I can not even muster sarcasm of the subject. It is just too depressing. It could have been worse, though. I survived. Plus I had many memories of a perfect 2.5 weeks to keep my spirits up.  I'll share the highlights...

A long weekend at Wrightsville beach with just my mom and me.  We read, we ate and we shopped.  We laid in the sun, and we talked for many, many hours.  It was simply perfect.

A trip to Cheyenne.  So many highlights! Like LONG morning bike rides with my dad, and lunches with sisters.  Plus much needed time with niece and nephews! I even got breakfast made for me courtesy of the Pedo.  Banana Dogs! yup anyone who wants the recipe I can get it for ya. I gagged a little bit during my single bite.

Every bit was carefully manipulated by 5 year old hands, and only my mom was able to sacrifice her taste buds for the love of the boy.

Then I returned for much needed husband time, and postman stalking....I PASSED BOARDS!  It was the perfect 2.5 weeks to get me through my 2nd to last first day of school!

Recovery

So I took Part I Boards. I won't find out if I passed for another 2-3 weeks, but I am enjoying my ignorance.  If I didn't pass I will have to study for another three months and then sit through the torture of taking the 8 hour long test... again.  Please sent good karma my way because I have no willpower to endure the Part I pain ever again.  In case you were wondering... there is a Part II test that I am already anticipating. To celebrate the end of 9 hour study days with my 1400 notecards, Austin and I toasted our favorite Jones Bros. Cupcakes and saw the last Harry Potter movie.  It was/is such an amazing feeling to be finished... i just hope it lasts when my score comes.

We also headed to Arizona to visit my Grandma and bask in the wonderfully dry heat.  We had such an amazing time and we loved seeing all of my family.  It wasn't all rest, though. Austin and I often watch Man vs. Food, and like to visit the restaurants featured during our travels. While in Phoenix, Austin decided to try his first official eating challenge.

Yes 12 sliders and onion strings in 30 minutes. It took him 15 minutes to realize that he couldn't finish, but I'm still SO proud of his effort.  It was really fun to watch him try and I'm glad I married someone that is too polite to shove 12 sliders in their mouth in 30 minutes.  The rest of the trip was poorly documented with photographs, but we had such a great time and miss everyone!

Yeah I'll take a shot at it...

So I should be studying for boards, but I had to share the fact that I actually felt like a dentist today.  I had an assistant who I explained the procedure to and I finished the restoration (which takes real dentists about 30 min) in less than 2 hours.  Now to some this may not sound like a huge accomplishment, but it is.... I promise.  See in dental school you sit the patient in the chair, then get a start check by a professor, you anesthetize and put a rubber dam on, then get a check, you touch the tooth with a burr, then get a check, you remove the decay, then get a check, you retract tissue, then get a check, you restore, then get a check and finally you take the rubber dam off then get a check.  See the whole process is time consuming, but I was able to finish in less than 2 hours.  To top off the whole experience I was told that the shot I gave was the least painful one that she/he (to maintain HIPPA) has ever had.  I know after writing this that my schedule is going to be over-booked with those seeking my care, but I promise one two hour appointment at a time people.  For those who I have already promised dental care to... I learned how to suture last week on a board so I'm all ready to cut tongues. To prove that I am able to provide dental care under the supervision of a licensed dentist, here are pictures from my white coat ceremony.