Happy Mother's Day

 We may be far away, but we love you more than words can express.

I just wanted to share our little mother's day gifts we created in Picasa this year.  I've never used an editing program before, but I must say this was pretty easy to get used to.  I especially enjoyed the collage button since getting both kids to smile at the same time is impossible.  Thank goodness for cropping, haha!

By the way, don't you love our grandparent names?  We've got Gigi and Gaga, as well as Baba and Granddad.  That's the beauty of being the first grandkids, naming is all up to you!  

I've Never Desired Boat Ownership

Until now.  Have you ever been on a yacht?  Those things are quite impressive.  

Today as our family enjoyed a Seattle Boat Show we stepped aboard countless vessels, some even larger than our apartment. 

I can count the times I've been boating on one hand and the thought of owning such a luxury has always seemed questionable to me.  I must say though, after stepping onto even a docked boat I was filled with the excitement of travel possibilities.  The two and a half million dollar yacht will never be in our budget, but the catamaran that crossed the Pacific four times did catch my eye.  

Maybe it's the continuous playing of Captain Ron in our home, but lately the idea of long distance sailing has seemed appealing.  At least in Delaware we'll still be near the ocean so maybe we can investigate this idea further.    

  

Happy Sails to You!

P.S.  Yes, the sun is shining in February!!!

It's Official...

We are moving to Delaware.  Probably to Wilmington, but the state's so small we could probably live anywhere.  I have to admit I've always had a crush on the New England states.  I just get giddy thinking about how much history they hold.  I've never traveled that far east and I am anticipating lots of site seeing over the next 4 or 5 years.  The state I'm most excited to visit is Maine.  Ever since my fourth grade project focusing on this fabulous state I've wanted to live there.  (I also have a serious crush for lumberjacks.  Dave definitely needs more flannel.)

There are some serious drawbacks to this change though.  For starters...it's completely across the country.  Only eight months ago we drove three and a half days to move here to Seattle.  I've already mentioned to Dave that I'm not driving to Delaware.  Plus with only a week between residencies I don't think it's even feasible.  Which means we'll be scaling back tremendously.  The decorator in me is going crazy.  The financial planner in me is gasping for air.  Thankfully it's cheaper to live in Delaware than Seattle.  In fact we could have probably moved just about anywhere and found cheaper housing.

The other drawback I'm facing is adjusting to another brand new place.  I finally know my way around and have found the most amazing group of ladies to fellowship with.  Davey even has friends.  It will be lonely again as we settle into our new place.  The upside is we still have five months here.  Plus, strangely enough, Dave will be working with a resident that he graduated med school with and I actually graduated high school with.  So there is one person we will know and he's married so technically two people.  Hopefully that will make it easier.

You're probably wondering why Delaware.  Dave has been completing his preliminary year here in Seattle and has been looking for a 2nd year position in general surgery.  The program in Delaware is expanding next year which created this opening that Dave will be filling.  It's a relief to know Dave will be able to complete his residency without having to start over as a first year.  This is what we've been praying for, and even though it's Delaware, we will continue to trust God and seek His guidance.  He continues to bless us in ways we could never have imagined.

So as we prepare for this move, does anyone know anything about Delaware?  I sure don't.

Black Swan

I've never seen the movie and my only real knowledge of it comes from a SNL skit.  But sometimes I feel as though my blog is the "white swan" of our residency.  There are days I'm not sure if I should publish my thoughts because they are too "black swan".  My readers are mostly family, but I'd love to be able to reach out to other wives struggling through residency or other circumstances which limit time with their husbands.  However, I worry about coming across negative and full of complaints, because let's face it residency is tough.  I want to be honest and real, but how much do I really want that in blogland unless it has a purpose.  Those are just my musings on a late Thursday night where I can't seem to settle my mind unless I write something.

P.S. I'm hooked, tutus on little girls are my favorite thing!

Wintertime

One of Davey's favorite movies to watch repeatedly is A Charlie Brown Christmas.  I guess his exposure to this film led him to eat snowflakes.  Last week as we survived Seattle's winter wallup, Davey ate more snow than I thought possible.  We even bribed him with ice cream to get him to stop eating it.  As much as Davey loves snow, I'm grateful it's finally gone.  The kids and I didn't drive anywhere for five days.  We barely got the van out of our parking incline last Friday.  Thankfully today we are back to forty degree weather and...SUNNY!

Davey, Portia, and I took full advantage of this opportunity and walked down to Lake Union.  We spent the morning looking at boats, 

throwing rocks into the water, and

stopping to put our feet up at the nearby Starbucks.  Definitely my kind of winter morning! 

Hope you all are staying warm!

Have You Prayed About It?

I recently found myself contemplating the difficulties of life (a.k.a complaining) when I was confronted with the question: Have you prayed about it?  I don't fully understand prayer, in fact there's a lot I don't comprehend, however I do know these two truths.  I'm called to pray and I'm called to do everything without complaining.  So when a trivial to most "problem" was nagging me, I was led to pray rather than sit and fester.

Several months ago, Davey's sock drawer added these:

We also found the one corner in our bathroom for this:

And yet, Davey was just not interested.  (Which is probably true for most of you, as David assures me, but sometimes you have to write about what's on your mind to allow room for other ideas.)  

As Portia Mae entered our lives I found it easier to put Davey in Luvs rather than drag him to the bathroom every hour.  But then I began to panic because Davey was quickly approaching age three.  I was already embarrassed that he wasn't potty trained by two and three would have been horrific in my mind.  So as I faced the confronting question of prayer I was humbled to realize that indeed I had not prayed about it.  

That day at lunch, Davey and I prayed for him (in exact words) "to go poopy on the toilet".  Sparing you the details, less than 30 minutes later he did exactly that, completely on his own.  From that moment on, he has been potty trained.  At first I was hesitant to believe it, but now over a week later he hasn't had an accident and even survived a marathon errand running day.  One filled with locked bathrooms and out of order signs.  

Only by God's grace was Davey so quick to change his behavior.  Through a small part of our daily lives I'm reminded of how much God cares for us.  We continue to wait for direction in our future and whether or not that answer comes quickly I must ask myself daily, have I prayed about it?

Top 11 Missed Posts of 2011

I really should have blogged more this past year.  I'm not sure we'll ever have a more adventurous and unpredictable year.  Having each memory recorded in writing would have been a treasure.  However, today is today and this is the best I can do.  So without further ado...here are the Top 11 Missed Posts.

11.  David Spends a Month in China

I thought med school was hard to live with.  Then I tried living with a med student overseas, newly pregnant, working full time, and with a two year old.  There's not much I remember, or want to remember about those days except the excitement of watching Davey run to his Daddy at the airport when he returned.  

10.  Med School Graduation

For several years I could only dream of this day.   Now, I can't believe it was only months since daddy became Dr. Berkheim.

9.  The BIG Move

To this day whenever we see this famous yellow truck, Davey points it out and yells Dada.  I guess after three days following Daddy it's hard to forget.  Davey also now associates the word hotel with pool.  During our recent trip to Portland we neglected this fact and stayed in a hotel without one.  It was almost as sad as the day we walked into our favorite Barnes and Nobel and they had removed their train table.

8.  Lazy Summer Mornings

Almost my entire life has been on school schedule.  Switching to a stay at home mom who doesn't get the summers off was a bit different.  Thankfully I have a son who doesn't mind a relaxing morning.  We're still trying to break our habits of sleeping in, eating breakfast on the couch, and watching Cars almost daily.

7.  Visiting Mount Rainer

I've always wanted to climb a mountain with my children.  Although this wasn't the day, it was Davey's first experience hiking on a mountain.  He walked almost a mile.  We also saw a much larger waterfall and walked through snow.  I said it this day and I continue to say it, but I just can't believe how much he's seen at the age of two...

6. Camping on the Oregon Coast

With David's hectic schedule a week off deserved a memorable vacation.  We spent two nights camping only a walk away from the beach.  Davey could have chased waves the entire day, except when it got dark.  During our last night we had a fire on the beach and stayed out to watch the stars.  This was the first time I learned how scared Davey was of the dark.  He refused to open his eyes once the sun went down and still talks about how scary it was.

5.  Mount St. Helen's

I've always wanted to see an actual volcano, so this stop was for me.  Maybe it's the teacher in me that has to make even a vacation include an academic field trip.  We stayed overnight in Portland after our camping adventure and drove to the mountain in the morning.  This I must add is a great way to finish a camping trip.  Before coming home to do laundry, empty the cooler, and air out the tent, we got to sleep in a fluffy bed and shower with actual water pressure.

4.  The Haircut that Ended in a Buzz

 My New Year's Resolution is for Davey to get an actual hair cut this year :)

3.  Oh Canada

David texted me early one Friday and asked if I wanted to go to Canada.  We had talked about the things we wanted to do while living in Seattle and visiting Vancouver was one of them.  This was also something we hoped to accomplish before baby number two arrived.  So 8 months pregnant we crossed the border to find out what Canada had to offer.

With not a lot of time, and more rain than here in Seattle, we opted for the Museum of Anthropology.  I think I like the store better, although I did see more totem poles in one place than I could have ever imagined.

2.  The Birth of Portia Mae

This really should be number 1, but I was ordering the events chronologically so it's number 2.  Portia Mae was born November 23 early in the morning.  I literally crawled out of our apartment, held off pushing in the car, spent 3 minutes in triage, and delivered in under an hour of reaching the hospital.  Heading into the last trimester I was extremely worried about going into labor with no one around, not getting an epidural, and David missing the delivery.  However, God was extremely good and she came the morning after her due date when my parents were already here to help, I got my epidural even though I was completely dilated, and David was with me the entire time.  He even received the entire week off which was completely unexpected.  Portia continues to grow, interact, and sleep a little better each week so I'm starting to feel a bit more normal.  Maybe that means more pictures soon...

1.  Christmas in Seattle  

Although miles apart, we had relatives here for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We both have fantastic and supportive families.  Christmas here was a bit of an adventure because we welcomed six more bodies into our apartment.  Even though only four of them stayed the nights, that is still a lot of people to cram into our two bedrooms.  Since moving so far away and having a husband gone most of the days I was desperate to have family around.  I loved having a full house and pray that someday we will end up close to our families so we can get together more frequently.  Hopefully by then Davey will have some cousins to play with (wink wink). 

There you have it.  The top eleven things you may have missed in our lives.  This next year has a lot of questions still waiting for answers.  It may mean another move, another addition to our family (maybe a pet), a trip to Hawaii, and hopefully lots more time with friends and family.  So even though it's 5 days late, Happy New Year!

Too Much Time on My Hands

David has accused me of this on numerous times. Since becoming the full time stay at home mom I've discovered the wonderful world of craft blogs. Apparently these have been around for quite awhile, however my duties to teaching and mothering didn't leave time for any hobbies. Let's just say I have a lot of time these days, a lot. Granted most of my day is spent playing with David, running errands, and mustering up enough energy to keep a home, I am still left twiddling my thumbs waiting for Dave to return home.

So I've taken up some crafting projects to occupy my time and mind. The only problem I've found is that crafts take money, which is just not something we have laying around. I'm still determined to fund my fabric, paper, and thrift store finds, but they just might have to wait awhile. The area I'm hoping to squeeze a few cents out of is our grocery bill. It's not going to be easy since I've quickly become quite the food snob by moving to Washington. David and I have decided it's impossible not to, the food is just that good.

I now understand how an entire episode of Seinfeld could be devoted to peaches. The typical grocery store peach just won't do anymore. Also, Seattle's local Beecher's cheeses can be found everywhere. They tend to call my name as I walk by. There's even a food truck that carries Beecher's Mac and Cheese. If we're going to save money on food they'd better keep me away from that truck. I've decided that if you want your food to taste good you'd better stick to the farmer's markets, butcher shops, or the traveling truck.

However, something has to give. I am not a frugal shopper, however I would like to take strides to become something closer to that. One suggestion I've found is to buy as little prepackaged items as possible. When I look at our pantry we've got everything from bread and cereals, to canned soups and broth. I am not a natural in the kitchen so I can't change overnight, but I have made it my goal to try one new thing from scratch each week and go from there. This week it's bread. We'll see how that turns out.

Although I'd much rather spend my time breaking out the sewing machine, or heating up the hot glue gun, I know feeding my family is a better use of my time. Maybe I'll even fall in love with cooking or actually cook something people want to eat...that would be quite the change. If nothing else, hopefully my cooking changes can allow me to purchase the curtain rods and fabric for our windows.

Becoming the Man of the House

Let's face it, my parents raised me as a princess. Sure most of the time we considered my daintiness as a joke, but in reality I tend to assume people will do things for me. I only shop where other people bag my groceries, memorize the gas stations that pump your gas, and when I walk to the car I automatically head for the passenger seat. My husband very lovingly reminds me our house does not contain a throne, but still there have always been chores that didn't appear on my to do list.

This week changed that assumption, starting with the trash. Until I was married I never bagged it, walked it to the curb, or even smelled it. Even once we tied the knot, David typically took care of our garbage. However different circumstances have led me to stop wondering, "will he remember to take it out today?" Like the man with the 5,000 dollar pair of hands is going to tie off the bag, come on! (Gob voice) Davey however loves to help and gets to carry his own bag. Just a few more years and I won't have to worry about it anymore:)

The second item I checked off my list was purchasing insurance. For someone so close to her thirties I really should be more knowledgeable. I'm just not. We're covered and have our cards, just don't ask me any questions quite yet. Somehow David trusts me on this....

Lastly, I hung every wall hanging of ours by myself. This chore I've been procrastinating on for weeks. I just hoped David would have the time or energy to help. Finally, I tried a few small items and eventually the larger stud requiring pieces. There are a few extra holes in the wall and some photos that look better when you tilt your head, but I am gaining a sense of independence I've never had.

Next week I have plans for washing the car and breaking in my new drill. Maybe someday I'll be ready to tackle plumbing, electronics, or even the purchase of an automobile.

A Five Star Weekend

When asked how I'd rank this past weekend, I responded with a five out of five stars. Despite a few drizzles, clouds, and glitches, how could I not? Nothing compares to gourmet burgers, the outdoors, and two full days with my family!

After 12 days in a row, working anywhere from 12-15 hour shifts, David was beginning to waste away. Those weren't even my words, but those of his fellow residents. We had plans to camp Saturday night so when David returned home Friday we headed out to a burger joint. I always feel somewhat guilty eating beef in Seattle, but nothing can refuel you like a half pound cheeseburger topped with an egg. Especially when it's preceded with nachos and fries. (As much as David enjoys pondering a Baby Vs. Food episode, I have come to the conclusion that a Pregnant Woman Vs. Food episode would not be as cute, although the food intake my surpass that of Adam Richman.)

Once we were stuffed and well rested, the following morning began with a trip to the bank. This may seem like a petty errand, but for us it was huge. For the first time in 4 years, David was able to sign his name on the back of a real paycheck. I am happy to say, my husband finally has a job. Our new source of income was celebrated by purchasing a family size tent, followed by an hour and a half drive out of the city.

Most people don't spontaneously camp in the rain. But for us, this was actually a pleasant surprise. We didn't have reservations, and since sites typically are filled Saturday night, the rain allowed us to find spot and pitch our tent. Just down the hill from our campground we discovered a marina where Davey could have spent the entire weekend scooping and throwing rocks.

We even took our first family picture in months. (Notice Davey in the background)

In order to convince Davey to leave the water, we promised a fire, hot dogs, and smores. This is where David would have given our trip 4 1/2 stars out of five. We've never camped in the Northwest, and neglected to bring along an axe. Needless to say, our fire making abilities were not up to par. My husband is quite resourceful, so a few flames were sparked, and dinner was managed, however the real blaze wasn't discovered until the following morning.

No axe? Just make sure you have a good knife!

Throughout the weekend we adored watching Davey experience his first camping trip. When bed time approached, he repeatedly asked to, "go go". His entire sleeping has been spent in a crib, bed, or pack n play. However, having mom and dad next to him in our tent gave him enough security to sleep well. Probably the best out of all of us.

The next day was filled with new explorations. We discovered a snail on the hiking trail,

stomped our way through mud while tide-pooling,

and caught a wild crab, which was set free of course.

Davey's favorite part, and mine, was turning over rocks to look for crabs and other creatures. I kept giggling in amazement at the amount of life under one rock. It was definitely a moment to remember. Residency has taught us to treasure these times so when the 3:50 am alarm blares us awake we have something to smile about and carry with us during the day.

The Hermit Gene

In recent years I learned a valuable lesson from my dad. He and I share a common characteristic, the hermit gene. I'm most comfortable at home, I don't mind being alone, and it takes an enormous amount of effort for me to enter new places and mingle. My husband nicknamed me the chihuahua after my last try at group interaction. I was so nervous being alone that I began to shake. Quite like that of a dripping wet, skinny, little dog.

Since our 5 week start in Seattle I've regretted that stubborn little trait and have tried desperately to overcome it. I do realize the benefit of being an introvert when my husband is simply a roommate I'm trying to keep alive with food and a spot to sleep. However, I too realize my need for relationships. So each week I drag Davey off to parks, markets, wading pools, and churches. Seattle is quite the city to explore and since it's summer we haven't even gotten that wet. If I could just trade in that pesky van for something easier to park it would be even more enjoyable.

The only real problem with our outings is that we haven't met anyone. Although I am pushing myself away from our cozy apartment, I haven't been pushing myself to strike up conversations. It does take us hermits a bit longer to warm up to people so since we've been here a month, I think it's time for me to try talking to other Washingtonians. Some say they're the friendliest of people. I do think I'm almost ready. My nervous shaking habit is almost gone now. You'd only notice it if you looked at my left eye and found it twitching. I'm not quite sure what David would nickname me now. What kind of creature has an eye that twitches?

A Sunny Weekend in Seattle

Eight days into David's residency he received 2 days off. The weather was beautiful and our time was well spent. I knew my husband was going to be tired so I carefully searched for nearby events to prevent him from sleeping all day. To my surprise, I came across the words Wooden Boat Show. If there's anything David loves, it's boats. He was easily lured out of the house and since we live so close to Lake Union we just had to walk down one of Seattle's steep hills rather than search for parking.

Everything was free and there were activities galore. Davey made a boat, or rather watched his dad make one. We walked onto large sail boats, enjoyed a picnic lunch, splashed through a sprinkler, and finished the day messing up our faces with waffle cones. The only activity we missed out on was a free boat ride. We weren't too disappointed though, there's still plenty of summer left to find our way out onto the water.

It's great spending time as a family again. I didn't have to listen to Davey say, "Dada go go", eat three meals alone, or watch the 4:30 am news. The next leg in residency will last 12 days and approximately 160 hours. I'm already looking forward to our next weekend together and at least I'll have plenty of time to plan our outing.

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

Somehow or another David and I traveled through college without the purchase of a futon. Now as my 10 year high school reunion approaches I find myself sitting on the furniture piece that symbolizes dorm life. Maybe in a way it is fitting for us. We've finally moved away from home and separated from our parents. Even during the six years of marriage, support came to us every day. Whether it was in the form of a babysitter, chef, or advisor our parents made it happen. With a three day drive between us those roles now fall to us. This new independence has made us feel like life is moving forward. We also see David's name listed with two important letters behind it, MD. At the same time I find it frustrating that we're still renting, collecting quarters for laundry, and squeezing 4 people (come November) into a 2 bedroom apartment. But when I lean back on our very own futon, purchased with our own funds, I realize that every other couch we've relaxed on was from our parents. It is at least a step forward.

Well In Seattle...

Prior to our move I was accused of stating several specifics about what it's like in Seattle. Like all those movers before us, it's an inevitable trap. Things are different and you just want to share it. So I decided to wipe the dust off my blog and let it out here.

Well in Seattle, there are more dogs than kids. Naively I was expecting David's fellow residents to be the family type. Since we are married with a kid and starting residency I thought there'd be others. However, this is not the case. Not only is David the only surgical intern with a kid, he's also one of two (maybe 3) that are even married. I guess I won't be enjoying the company of other resident's wives. I could probably earn a living walking their dogs though.

Well in Seattle, our view of Lake Union has led our son David to believe all planes land on water. Throughout the day we see and hear water planes coming and going. Now whenever David sees a plane he says "splash". I guess there was that plane in NY that landed on the Hudson...

Well in Seattle, the weather forecasters are expecting a heat wave next week. They say temperatures should be in the 70's. Although our apartment doesn't have air conditioning I do believe we will survive this summer heat.

Well in Seattle, I get to be a stay at home mom. It's only taken David 1 week to begin saying, "Mom" instead of "Mama". Now whenever he needs or wants something I hear, "mom...mom...MOM!" Which are the words currently being uttered. So for today here's one more:

Well in Seattle, we are hoping for visitors anytime soon so you can see what we're all about!

Can't Decide

As Davey is approaching the ripe age of 6 months, where their eye color is supposedly set, I am beginning to wonder what shade his will be.

Maybe his eyes will remain like this, although I never imagined having a blue eyed child...

or maybe in the coming weeks they'll add more green like his daddy's

or maybe they'll darken to the brown color of his mommy's

We have 9 nine days until he's 6 months...I'll keep you posted:)

It's Official

Dave passed his boards!

A month ago we took this picture after the day long exam. His classmate probably had the most accurate response with, "I never want to talk about that again!" Until we received the results we really haven't discussed it. Dave started his rotations with the hope that he passed, knowing full well if he hadn't he have to stop his rotation and retake the test. Now that burden is gone and his attentions can be focused elsewhere. Probably on making a good impression during rotations, picking a medical speciality, deciding where to apply and interview for residency, and of course studying for the remaining exams and two more steps of boards he has before graduating:)

A Taste of What's to Come

One of my biggest weaknesses as a wife is showing support for my Dave. This is especially true during the school year when I'm overwhelmed by my duties as a full-time teacher, wife, and mother. This summer I've been trying to do some special things for Dave to let him know I haven't forgotten about him. However, sometimes it all just goes wrong.

Yesterday afternoon I set out to run some errands and prepare a surprise meal for Dave. I was expecting him home at 6:00, so I knew I had several hours to accomplish my long list. After checking off number one, I received a phone call telling me Dave was coming home early. This was not a bad thing to be sure, but it did mean he would be walking into an empty and untidy apartment, rather than the smiling and spotless one I had envisioned. I quickly stopped to check off number two and hurried home so Dave could be with us and help finish the errands.

We were able to run the rest of our errands, except the grocery store (which of course had to be last), when Davey started to become fussy. By now it was 5:00 and I was still determined to have a special dinner at home. An extra stop at Barnes and Noble was made to feed Davey and relax with some mocha frapps. Relax was definitely not the word I would have used after the spilled coffee, messy diaper, and crying fit. Even still, we continued on our journey and made it to the grocery store and home by 7:00.

Davey had fallen asleep in the car, so we thought it would be a simple transition from carseat to crib...not the case last night:) Daddy entertained and comforted while mommy started dinner. From here things went fairly smoothly. The table was set, the cake was baked, and the steaks were on the grill. However, we were destined to have a few more bumps in the road.

As I reached for the dressing to toss with the salad I realized (which happens often) that the date was expired. If you know me at all, you know I was not about to eat that dressing. Dave said to just saran wrap the salad and we'd eat it tomorrow. Ha! That was not an option for me. Typically I buy the salad mixes with everything included, but for this "special" meal I had actually washed and ripped the greens, cut the onion, and sprinkled it with cheese and ham. I anxiously went to google, seeking a way to save the salad. It could! With the help of a honey mustard recipe. Dave's response, "You can make the dressing from scratch?" We often forget things can be made fresh rather than being store bought. (It was excellent, so I just might do this again!)

At 8:30, Davey was finally fast asleep and we sat down to our special meal. Dave handed me my steak and I flinched. Was that pink? I tried to refuse the steak, but he wouldn't have it. He went to microwave the raw meat, but instead of a well-done steak, we got jerky. At least Dave enjoyed his meat:) Despite all the drama we had a great dinner and Dave knew I cared about him. The only real tragedy, that almost brought tears, was spilling meat juice on the striped chair cover my mom and I had recovered ourselves. The day was saved again though. This time by the fact we had sprayed the fabric with Scotch Guard. This is a product I will definitely respect more from now on.

So after all that, we crashed on the couch at 9:30 and forgot all about the cake. It's still cooling upside down on the counter. Although it's not a night I want to relive, I hope I can remember it. For once, I didn't panic when things went wrong. The tears were close once, but I didn't surrender. And best of all, I didn't give up by throwing myself on the couch and asking Dave, "Can't we just eat out?"

I Would Never Make it in Med School

I've always felt this way for many reasons. Sleep has always won over late-night studying, another person's blood doesn't excite me, and large amounts of stress make my eye twitch. However, another reason has come to my attention. Humiliation.

Rumor has it there's a doctor out there who keeps McDonald's applications in his office. If you don't meet his expectations, he finds it very satisfying to suggest that your skills be put to use elsewhere.  If that was said to me, I'd be out of that office, with tears streaming down my face and on my way to say goodbye to med school forever.

Thankfully, the doctor Dave's currently placed with is not like that. We aren't expecting the real "beating" to begin until next spring when he undertakes the surgery rotation. Apparently with the surgeons you can't even walk into the resident's lounge without being invited in. With all the attitudes doctors can acquire, it makes me wonder what med school really does to a person.