Dear Mr. B, Thanks for coming with me on our "Date Day" to Columbia! Feeding the giraffes, hanging out with kangaroos, walking by the river, and eating cupcakes (mint chocolate chip...mmmmmmm!). Thanks for a whole day of us acting like kids! You make such a great buddy! Dear Master's Week, You are here again! I look forward to you every year: no AM traffic, the empty parking deck, the quiet building, famous travelers around town... Oh, and thanks for the extra opportunities to make a little dough! To my small group women (and Weathergirl!), Thanks for your words of encouragement especially over the last few weeks! Knowing I will lose my job (as of June 30th) is certainly less painful when I have your support! Your messages, posts, phone calls, and snail mail letters (!!!) remind me that I am loved and that the Lord will provide! So glad I get to spend the next 5 years with you girls. Dear Hubby, Your $2 at the zoo for a handful of lettuce was well spent! I subsequently spent all day talking about the experience. You even offered to go back after we had seen the rest of the animals to feed the giraffe again and you bought me a pint-size stuffed replica as a souvenir! You know how to warm my heart...

Aaron with his Lemon Cupcake

Dear Mr. B., Thank you for bringing back a t-shirt momento from your trip this week. I love it! And, it brings new meaning to "been there, done that, bought a t-shirt"! I'm so glad you enjoyed your travels! Dear Weathergirl, It's Nan/Lou Day! So excited about the time that we get to spend together this weekend. I know Long Dog is going to love playing with Standing-Ear Pup (and of course, the White Dog)! Hoping the severe weather doesn't steal you away! Dear Jagbirder, thanks for pointing out the odd mound next to the bagel in the picture of my last post. I have been informed, straight from the source, that it was a delicious blueberry muffin. Just in case you were wondering... Dear Bee Bee, Thanks for our date night at Nacho Mama's! You laughed at me when I stood up into the lamp over the table (as did some other people in the room), but I still love you anyway! Ultimately, thanks for helping me recover my dignity! :)

Love,

Anna

My dearest Mr. B, You sent me a picture this morning chronicling your morning meal. So glad to know that even when you are far away, you still want to make sure I know you ate a balanced (and by the looks, a well-educated) breakfast. But I have just one question: where's the fruit?! Orange juice doesn't count. To the Saturn in the Kia dealership's parking lot, you are beautiful! I hope you are adopted by a wonderful family because I can't take you home with me (yet?). But please, let all your other Saturn friends know that I might be looking in the coming months (hooray!). Don't tell Juan Pablo...his Ford Focus feelings might be hurt. Dear Wednesday, you're the day after Tuesday, the day before Thursday, but won't you rush along the weekend? I'm ready for some fun, fun, fun with my family! :) Oh, couldn't you be Friday?! To my hunny, thanks for sending me pictures of the last two sunrises you have seen without me. They are beautiful and it makes me feel like I woke up and watched it with you! Can't wait for you to come home and do Tuesday (even-if-it's Thursday) Questions!

Love,

Anna

Tomorrow's Letters...

Dear Mrs. B, Thanks for going through the match process with me! You did a great job organizing the after-party for family and friends. (The neighbor's kids will be talking about Spiderman for a long time!) We now know that we will stay here for my residency, and I am excited about what the future may hold. Dear Family/Friends, Thanks for coming to celebrate with me and/or sending words of encouragement. You each mean so much to me. To half of you: Yay! we are staying. To the other half: you know where to come visit! Dear South Korea, thanks for representing the country with the #3 most views and for Skyping! Dear Match Day, Thanks for finally giving me the results that I have been waiting on. Building suspense is one thing but waiting that long was difficult. At least I got to wait in a Spiderman outfit! Dear Wifey, thanks for making the house look awesome and pretending not to be nervous to help me get through the waiting process. (I knew you were nervous but it still helped). 

Love,

Aaron

And the Verdict Is...

Team MCG wins! We will be spending the next 5 years in Augusta, GA! So excited to see what the Lord has in store for us! I am so thankful I don't have to pack up our house...at least not yet! Thanks to all of our friends and family for your words of encouragement and support! We love you all!

Letters

In good Today's Letter fasion:

Dear Mr. B, Thanks for celebrating your match status with me at IHOP yesterday! Is it possible that omelettes and pancakes (with warm syrup!) can make us even happier? Can't wait to be Mary Jane to your Spider Man tomorrow! Dear St. Patty's Day, Thanks for being one of my favorite days of the whole year! It is pretty awesome when everyone wears my favorite color...or else suffer the consequences! :) Dear Match Day, Thanks for finally deciding to make your appearance. It has been a long wait, but we are certainly excited that you are here! Praying that you will bring us good news! Dear Husband, thanks for all the vacuuming, grocery store runs, attempts to blow the leaves off the drive way (and preventing the orange house neighbors from blowing over theirs), and light hanging you did this week. If you weren't going to make such a great surgeon, I would try to convince you to be a stay-at-home hunny!


Love,

Anna

Wahoooo!

Aaron matched! Wahooo! Praise God for his blessings!! We are so excited to see where the Lord will be taking us for the next 5 years! :)

T-minus 3 days until Match Day!

A happy soon-to-be surgery resident on the phone with his mama!

Love,

Anna

Just Around the Corner!

We are officially down to 1 week before Match Day is finally here! I know many of you are not familiar with the matching process, so I thought I would try to sum up here what we are to expect next week.

The Match week begins on Monday, March 14th at 12 noon, which is when we will receive notification of Aaron's matching status...that is, "yes! you matched..." or "no, I'm sorry you didn't match..." Lord willing, we will receive good news and are then able to kick back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the week!...almost. That is also about the time that you realize that the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) is now keeping a treasured secret. It is such a tease to find out you matched on Monday, and then have to wait until Thursday to find out where!

For those students who don't match, Tuesday-Thursday will be a hectic week of "scrambling"; this is maybe somewhat of a euphemism for the chaos of calling programs across the nation and applying for any residency positions that remain unfilled. Still, a student who manages to secure a residency position this way is still better off than those students who end up without.

And then Thursday finally arrives! Almost 4 years of medical school (and 4 years of undergrad...and well, the culmination of all other life experiences) gets you to this point...you are in the final stretch to become a Doctor, you matched, and now you will find out where you will spend the next several years transforming into an incredible physician. For us, we will find out the result in the Match Day Ceremony (the theme this year: super heroes!). Once the ceremony "welcomings" have concluded, a faculty member will begin randomly calling out the names of the 4th year students who matched. When their name is called, each student will come to the stage, accept an envelope with their name on it, and place $1 in a bowl (to be claimed by the student who's name is called last). Inside the envelope will be the name of a single institution- the location of your residency! Some students choose to open their envelope and read its contents allowed on stage; others will take their envelope back to their seats and open it with their families and friends; even still, others will accept their envelope, walk the aisle to the back of the auditorium, exit through the double doors, proceed outside and around the building and enter it in secret. What do you think will Aaron do?!

By 1 pm on March 17th, the uncertainty will be gone...to an extent. It is going to be like opening the "residency" can of worms. Many more questions will remain unanswered: will Aaron like who he works with? will I be able to find a job? where will we live?...and Aaron's favorite: what kind of surgical loupes should I get? :) Of course, there will finally be some relief in knowing where we will spend the next five years together.

Thank you, Lord, for bringing us to this point, through the challenges of medical school, interviewing, and matching. I pray ever still that you would be our foundation and our solid rock through the transitions to come, and that we will trust you completely. I pray for all those students matching this year, that your will be done! May you grant us peace, comfort, and confidence as Match Day approaches.


Tune in Monday for an update on our matching status!

Love,

Anna



Are you interested in knowing more about how the Match Algorithm works?  Check out the NRMP's website: http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/about_res/algorithms.html

Putting on the Armor

Today's the day that determines our future!...well, one of the days anyway. Rank Lists are due at 9 pm. Eek! My heart jumps when I think about it, my adrenaline starts pumping, and I feel riddled with anxiety...and excitement! After today, there is nothing else that we can say or do to change the outcome on Match Day. After today, it is really up to God.

It's hard to explain the emotions I feel as we approach Match Day. My understanding is that if you have gone through the match process, you understand; if you haven't gone through it, it is unlike anything else. Despite my anxiety, Aaron and I take comfort that God is now in control. Over the last few weeks, and especially the last few days, I have succumb to selfish prayers: His will be done, but that that would mean a place us at our first choice school. Period.

My anxiety comes from the possibility of leaving the comfort zone I am so comfortable in: our friends, my job, the community of support that God has blessed us with. The covenant ring that was given to me before I got married, and then gave to Aaron, read this passage from the Book of Ruth in Hebrew: "Where you go, I will go". I will follow Aaron wherever he goes, wherever God places us...it is a commitment to God (as He is the one that has given us the discernment to know where to apply, interview, and rank) and a commitment to my husband...only shall death do us part. But it is still hard to grasp that I may end up leaving loved ones in Augusta, and could be moving further away from my family!

Over the last several weeks I have been teaching my Sunday School Kindergartners about the Armor of God. The Breastplate of Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, the Belt of Truth, etc... we have been teaching these ridiculous (ridiculously cool that is!) songs to help them remember the Bible verses, which are rather catching and I sing them randomly throughout my day. It is hard to portray in a blog the stomping, clapping, shouts, and motions that each of these songs requires. ;) The fact that they get stuck in my head is quiet funny, but it is also a great reminder of what I should be remembering during this time of doubt, insecurity, etc. I must have "put on" the shield of faith and belt of truth to know and believe that God has a place planned out for Aaron and me wherever his residency position takes us; that God is already preparing for us that place, with a supportive and encouraging community of believers; that God is building us a group of friends that will become our family. He did all of these things for us in Augusta and He will take care of us and provide for our needs wherever we are. We are His children.

Pray for us over the next several weeks: that we would not be riddled with anxiety; that we would trust in God's plan for us; that we would cherish the moments that we have with our friends in Augusta; that our marriage would be strengthened as we prepare for whatever God has for us; and that those around us would be understanding of the drastic change that may be happen in our lives come March 17th.

Until next time!

Anna :)


22 days until Match Day!

An Amazing Fondue Dinner

Since Aaron and I got married, we have discovered our love of fondue! And all kinds too!- cheese, white chocolate, meat in broth, etc. Because of this love, it has become some what of a tradition for us to have a nice long fondue dinner when it comes to big decision making (especially when it comes to medical school/career decisions). With meat fondue, you wait so long for your pieces to cook in the broth that it provides prime opportunity for conversation. So, Aaron and I had our Rank Order List Fondue Dinner last week. Like I mentioned in the previous post, I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with unity in this decision. Aaron and I had been praying for quite some time about where He would have us go, and it was so refreshing to come to the (fondue dinner) table with the same expectations! I am so thankful!

So, we have made our decision.

We have also decided that since it is a personal decision, impacting our future and his medical career, and because although we love the input from our family and friends, we will not be sharing our rank order list. This a three-way decision between Aaron, me, and God.  Our preference list is in...now it is up to Him!

But, we would love for you to celebrate with us! We will find out on March 17th where He would have us go! Tune in on that day for a special announcement!


47 days until MATCH DAY! :)

Taken with our new DSLR camera! Just getting artistic documentation of the evening. ;)