Residency, Here We Come!

And just like that, med school's over and we're moving to Michigan!

Did somebody call a doctor?

We're packing it all up and driving north for Matt to begin his residency AND for us to continue what I have come to affectionately call:

My sweet friend Paulina made this for me!

Matt was gone for 5 months, July through November, traveling around for his orthopedic rotations, checking out different residency programs.

After that experience, he told me he really liked the residents in Michigan and was impressed with their skills.

I've always told Matt I think I could live anywhere.

Michigan though.  Thaat took a little convincing.

Florida has spoiled me with its 70-degree snowless winters and its nearby beaches.  Its shaved-ice stands and its tropical foliage.  Sure, my hair doesn't look great in humidity and the occasional roach sighting gives me a mild heart attack, but those are small prices to pay for paradise.  And we actually found an affordable place with a pool in the backyard.  A pool! I never thought I'd have a pool.  But there it is, shining and glistening in the sun in all its Florida glory, beckoning me to cannonball into it.  And cannonball I shall. Multiple more times before we must leave it.  Sigh.  (A moment of silence feels appropriate here).

Then God, in only the way that He can, gently and lovingly and uniquely reconfirmed the move to Michigan (which I will share about in another post), and any objection I had fell to the ground.


For those who care about the details, here are the answers to common questions I have received:


What is your timeline again?

• 4 years med school (Check!)
• 5 years residency (Here we go!)
• 1 year fellowship (Not on my radar yet)

When is Matt actually a doctor?
On May 7th, Matt graduated from med school and officially became Dr. Jackson!

What is residency?
Residency comes after med school and is in-depth medical training in one specific branch of medicine (ie. neurology or emergency medicine or pediatrics, etc.).  Every fourth year med student applies to various residency programs around the country and awaits "The Match" - that fateful day when you're told what residency program you "matched" to and where you will live for the next several years.

I thought you were in residency now.  Why did you move to Florida?
We moved to Florida for Matt to finish his last two years of med school - otherwise known as "rotations". Many people stay in one place all 4 years of med school.  Some get matched to do rotations in other cities the last two years, like us.

How long is residency?
The amount of years in residency depends on the specialty you go into (anywhere from 3 years to 7 years).

What is Matt's specialty?

Orthopedic surgery

How long will his residency be?

5 years

Where and when are you moving for residency?

We're moving this month to a suburb of Detroit called Royal Oak, Michigan.

Will you still be teaching?
Yes.

How do you feel about Michigan?

The first words that honestly come to my mind about Detroit are:  cold, cars, Eminem, and Kid Rock (in that order).  None of which I'm a huge fan of.  I told Matt I was looking forward to gathering new and better connotations about the area.  

I am sad about leaving my school, the friends we've made, and the warm sunshine of Florida.  But I am genuinely excited to follow our Good Shepherd to another place He has chosen for us. We'll have yet more new stories to tell about His faithfulness.  More interesting people to encounter.  More adventure to be had. I'm making a little list of nearby places I want to visit while we're there:  Niagara Falls, Toronto,...(thinking)...I guess that's it so far.  But those two are a good start.  Those places aren't actually in Michigan, but they're a short drive, so they made the list.  Feel free to make suggestions!

Overall, I feel excited about the next chapter and am just massively proud of Matt.

Residency, here we come!

We're moving

again.

Some friends and family have asked what our medical path looks like.

It may be best to start from the beginning:

Matt graduated from college with a biology degree...spent a year in India.....moved back stateside.....worked as a salesman.....then a financial advisor for 6 years.....didn't love it.....talked about pursuing medicine.

He wondered if he was too old to pursue a medical career (him being the ripe age of 29 at the time).  Too old? I assured him that he was not too old and thought he should go for it.

So for the next year, he retook a couple classes....studied for and took the MCAT..... maintained his finance job.....applied to schools....and waited... 

studying for the MCAT

It made the least immediate financial sense for us to go this route, but we were on the same page and both at peace.  I could just totally see Matt practicing medicine.  It suits him and his interests.  He loves science, a good challenge, and genuinely cares for people.

I'll always remember the day Matt got his acceptance letter.  He opened it slowly, the two of us standing in the living room, holding our breath.  I saw that the first word of the letter was "Congratulations" and flung my arms around him saying, "You're a doctor!"  to which he laughed and replied, "No,...I'm not."  Because he wasn't.

He had just worked so hard to get in, and I was excited for him.

I tried to imagine our life as a teacher and a med student....accumulating student loans....living off my little teacher's salary.  And the Lord kept bringing me back to Matthew 6:25-34 which led us, a year and a half ago, to move with confidence from Colorado Springs to Kansas City.

Gosh, it looks so nearby on this map.  And a year and a half has zoomed by!

And so our medical journey began...

Matt's Medical Journey

Med school:

• 2 yrs. lectures/studying/taking tests (which we're now finishing up)
• 2 yrs. hands-on training in hospitals (graduate as "official doctor" after this)

Residency:

• 3-5 yrs. required graduate medical training (like being an "apprentice doctor")

Fellowship:

• 1-2 yrs. optional extra training (only if you want to "subspecialize")

Matt's med school assigns students to various U.S. cities for the second 2 years (the hospital training years), based on what everyone submits as their top 3 city preferences, taken from a list of options.

The students and students' families eagerly await results of this "Clerkship Match", curious where they will be living for the next 2 years.  *This Clerkship Match is not to be confused with the big residency match in a couple years.

We put Kansas City as our #1 choice.  We have community here now - good friends....church family....purposeful and fulfilling job for me....  And moving is expensive.

It would be simpler to stay.

After hearing that students who wanted to stay in Kansas City historically got matched here, we were pretty confident we'd get our first choice.

Needless to say, we were caught a little off guard when Matt received the phone call that he didn't match to any of the 3 cities he submitted, meaning he would have to choose from a list of cities that still had openings available.  Whatever those cities were.

Up until this point, things have been going pretty smoothly for Matt in med school.  While it's certainly not cake for him, he has experienced success, making me want to to shout from the rooftops how proud I am of him!  But this match isn't based on student performance, I learned.  It's random.  And that right there is the rub (I've always wanted a reason to say, "Ah, there's the rub.")

21 students out of a class of 240+ didn't match to one of their choices.

Still, I know it's not a fluke that we were among them and have a firm confidence that, for reasons now unknown to us, God is sovereignly moving us away from Kansas City to a city that He has matched us to.  Nothing thwarts His plans.

So, we're moving in July.

That's weird to write, because I feel like we just moved to Kansas City.  But such is our med school journey.

One concern I do have is that my new Kansas City friends, coworkers, and students' families will perhaps think me blasé about leaving.  Breeze in/breeze out.  But that's not how it is. This place and my job have become special to me.  (And I was just starting to get the hang of 2nd grade, to gain traction and vision!)  I'm a stay-er.  I don't know if I would have ever left my previous CO teaching position, had we not been forced to move for med school. I hate leaving my school in a lurch to find another teacher, but I have no delusions that I'm irreplaceable and know that God will meet their needs as He will meet mine. He's efficient that way.

So, to the Kansas City folk I've had the pleasure of befriending and working with:  I'll miss you.  Thank you for welcoming me and showing Christ's love to this newcomer.  I've loved our conversations.

And to our med school friends staying in KC:  we'll sure miss you and are looking forward to reuniting for graduation in a couple years.  Won't that be a happy day?

While we didn't expect this early of a move and haven't a clue where we will live in our new city....where I will work....who our friends will be....what our finances will look like...., I know Jesus is going with us and will take care of us.  And that really does alleviate worry for me.

My friend and mentor Christin gave me this book when I was in college, and I've since reread it several times.  It's a little book, easy to read in a sitting or two, but opened my eyes in a life-shaping way to what Jesus being my Good Shepherd actually means.

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

On my last job application, I had to write about a book that impacted me.  I wrote about this book.

The author, a former shepherd, led me through Psalm 23, line by line, sharing stories of his own shepherding experiences.  I never before understood the depth of my Shepherd’s love and detailed care for me as I have since reading this book.

One of my favorite lines from the book is:

“I know of nothing which so stimulates my faith in my heavenly Father as to look back and reflect on His faithfulness to me...Over and over He has proved his care and concern for my welfare.”

It's true!  When I look back over my life, I see Him.  I see Him when I think about how He moved some anonymous person's heart to pay for me and my brother's school registration when my parents were out of work......I see Him when He gave me undeniable renewed strength to handle a troubled student with grace and peace when I was at my wit's end.....I see Him when he led Matt and me, blind as we were in a new place, to a cozy apartment in Kansas City that, though not fancy, is perfectly suited to us.  I see His care.

Residency will probably move us again.  Then after residency, we'll likely move again. That comes to about 4 potential out-of-state moves in 9 years.

Someone recently said to me, "Moving all the time for med school would be hard for me." But, it's really not that hard.  I know this Earth isn't my home, so moving around on it doesn't feel like a huge deal.  And God's promised presence makes me excited to follow Him to the next place.

And too, we're moving within the continental U.S., so really, is there that big of a life change to get used to?

I'll still admit I'm glad we're not moving to Warren, Ohio - a possibility.  Matt asked how I felt about moving there, and the first word that came to my mind was "depressed" (I know that's unfair because I haven't been there, but that's the word that came to my mind.)

Still, if we had been sent to Warren, Ohio, I took comfort in trusting that Jesus would be with me and would satisfy me even there.  But for now, we won't be moving to Warren, Ohio.

So what city are we moving to, you ask?

I'll give you a hint:  It's south, and Mickey and Minnie will be our new neighbors.

We are moving to Orlando, Florida.

After the initial surprise of the moving news, we started to get excited for a few reasons:

Not the least of which is that we'll be only 7 hours from my family in Atlanta, Georgia which will be the closest (geographically) I have been to them in 10 years.

my family

After embracing my adventurous-move-to-Colorado-far-away-from-home season in my 20's, I'm excited to be near family again.  I foresee the occasional weekend trip to visit them or maybe a Disney World get-together, who knows?

On cold days, when our snow shovel is broken and our car remains buried, I get excited thinking about the warm weather.  In my heart-of-hearts, I'm a warm weather girl.  And I love the beach. Even though Orlando is not on the beach, it's the closest I will have ever lived to a beach.

Also, coincidentally, we found out some dear and personally influential friends of ours may be moving there too.  Huh.

And of course we're excited and ready for Matt to start his hospital rotations and to see what interests him.

All in all, I'm very grateful for our time in Kansas City.  While I'm not looking forward to packing boxes and saying goodbyes, I am looking forward to this next season, seeing how God provides for us and makes a way for us, as He always does.  We'll have new stories to tell about his faithfulness.

We have a little over 4 months until the big move.  If anyone wants to give us big boxes, we'll take em.  We'll also take prayer...and monetary gifts;)  Just kidding.  But seriously.

Friends traveling to Orlando, contact us!  We love visitors.

So there's our news.  Here we come, Florida!

Christmas meal with Med School Friends

I am very thankful for some special friends we've made in med school.  Friends who too are "going through the grind" with us.  Friends who I anticipate us maintaining relationships with in years to come.

The couples we probably hang out with the most are Paul & Aubree, Chris & Catherine.

We like to talk about and eat good food, laugh about the ridiculousness of med school, and learn about and love Jesus alongside each other.

Aubree recently pointed out that we have maybe one picture together in our year of friendship.

So, last night, at our little Christmas friend "festivus" dinner, Paul snapped some pics to commemorate our bond:)

photo bomb #1 

photo bomb #2

awkward laughing, wondering how many pictures Paul's going to take

the lovely Aubree and Catherine

Not to be outdone, the guys then requested a friend shot of their own and quickly assembled together into this pose (?)

Matt, Chris, and Paul

A med school wedding

Earlier this summer, I traveled for the first time to the great state of Minnesota for the wedding of two of our dear med school friends - Paul and Aubree.

They're in Matt's class.  That's right, they're BOTH in med school.  WHILE they were planning a wedding in another state.  I think that's pretty amazing.

When we met them, we instantly connected.  So easy.  So natural.  I think our first double-date, we talked about everything from the beer we like, to how we handle social anxiety, to how we came to know Jesus.

I went to the wedding with my friend Catherine, fellow med-school wife.

Her husband is one year ahead of Matt, Paul, and Aubree and was studying for his boards (the BIG test taken after your 2nd yr.).

Matt was in the middle of a clerkship (that I wrote about here).

So, Catherine and I road tripped it together, just us girls.

Road trips have a way of taking you months down the road relationally, and Catherine and I were never want for conversation.  I enjoyed it very much, and, since then, Catherine has become a treasured friend.


We stayed the weekend and had some time to kill before the wedding, so Catherine gave me a little tour of Minneapolis, her hometown.  I was delightfully surprised by how beautiful it is.  My only previous notions of Minnesota were from that movie "New in Town" with Renee Zellweger.

We walked and talked on this path...

And quietly admired this lake...

And posed in front of this sculpture...

Then we headed to this wedding...

Isn't that a cool looking place?

The wedding was originally going to be outside, but due to afternoon torrential rains, it was changed to inside at the reception site.  What I loved was Aubree's go-with-the-flow attitude (even though I'm sure, of course, she was disappointed.  Who wouldn't be?). There was seemingly no drama or pouting.  She made the best of it.  And the wedding was lovely.  God-honoring and just beautiful.

yay!
And don't you just love her classy and earthy decorations?

Paul and Aubree

me, Aubree, and Catherine

After hearing some of the most hilarious and heartwarming family member speeches we had both ever heard at a wedding reception, Catherine and I decided that we would like to be honorary members of their families.

Also, as providence would have it, Catherine and I ended up sitting next to one of the most encouraging couples we have both ever met.

The husband was a fairly new doctor, so they understood the road we were on.  The wife was delightfully positive and genuinely full of joy as she shared with us about their med school journey, having kids, and embracing the seasons of it all.  I could see the joy of the Lord in her face.

We were so blessed by them.

Catherine and I discovered that we both enjoy talking with strangers AND cutting a rug on the dance floor, so we were two peas in a pod at this wedding where we knew no one but the bride and groom.

I warned Catherine that I'm all elbows when I dance.  We made good fun of it.

arms a'flailin'

So, to end, Congratulations, Paul and Aubree!  And forgive me, Minnesota, for misjudging you.  I love your summertime and your lakes and your walking paths and clean city.

Why I love hiking

Matt had a medical clerkship in Colorado Springs last month.  I happily tagged along.

We saw some old friends and got in a couple of hikes.

When we lived in Colorado, I much preferred the summer outdoor activities to the winter sports.  Why?  Well, hiking is free, does not require a lot of gear or technical skill (both of which I don't have), and offers such colorful and majestic views.

Here are some shots from last month.

And to think that God just spoke this into being...

For some reason, we both felt compelled to put our hands on our hips at this next spot.

"Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones."
Isaiah 49:13

There's something about being out in God's creation that makes His Word come alive to me in a very distinct way.  And I find it easier to forget myself.

I came upon this verse the other day - "Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever." - Psalm 125:2.

I love the imagery of that.  He's so powerful and protective.

I love too how none of His colors clash.

(It's fair to say that my tank top does a little bit, but I mean none of the colors in nature.)

"Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
for he issued his command, and they came into being!" Psalm 148:5

Matt found this little fella sitting up in a tree.
Reminded me of our brief pet swallowtail butterfly
that was first mentioned in this post.

We did break a couple cardinal rules of hiking in Colorado:

1. Start early enough to get off the mountain before the afternoon storms roll in.
2. Wear layers

Consequently, we got caught in the rain, and we were cold.  Our own faults.  We go livin' in Kansas City for a year and forget all the rules of mountaineering.

I don't think it dampened our experience though.  When it was too cold to hike, we drove, and eventually found our way up to the top of Pikes Peak.

I love the rain in the background of this picture.

almost to the top

America the Beautiful

Little factoid for ya

Standing in the spot where Matt proposed.  You can't tell, but we're really cold in this picture.

So glad for the chance to go back.

Confessions of a rookie med-school wife

When does concern turn into action?

Or more specifically, at what point does a nervous wife consider filing a Missing Persons Report when her med school husband does not come home?

Disclaimer:  Matt is an excellent communicator.  A man of his word.  The most responsible person I know.  Well, next to my mother. (As long as that woman has air in her lungs, she will out-duty anybody.  As my brother once told me, "Give her a list, and get out of her way!")

For those of you who know Laura, I know you're nodding.  And smiling.

I digress.

Where was I?  Ah yes - Matt is a good communicator.  So when I didn't hear from him, I got nervous.  More on that in a bit.

We have been told in no uncertain terms to possibly expect some unreal work hours when Matt's in residency.  But that's still 3 years away, and while I appreciate having an idea of the future (for heart preparatory reasons), I have the blessing and curse of only being able to live and think in the present.  Consequently, I have not spent a lot of time worrying about what's to come.

We did, however, just recently, get a small taste of these "unusual hours" we've heard tell of.

The story goes:

Matt recently finished a two-week clerkship, which, in this case, is med school speak for working with an assigned doctor and his team and learning by viewing and assisting.  The doctor he worked with was "on call", which is medical speak for being available to work irregular hours should patients need him.

When Matt came home the first day at 7pm, I naively thought, "Hey, this isn't so bad!"  And my expectation was then foolishly set for 7pm.

So the next night, when Matt wasn't home yet and it was 8:00, then 9:00, then 10:00...I started to get worried and called the clinic which was closed.  So I called the medical center where Matt was the day before only to learn that his assigned doctor was not there, which meant Matt was not there.  So I called a 2nd year med school wife and a couple of friends in Matt's class to ask if this is normal, to which they reassuringly told me that his doctor was probably called into emergency surgery at some other hospital, which Matt accompanied him into and therefore wasn't able to contact me.  This did end up being the case.

But being a rookie med-school wife, I still considered the possibility that Matt had been abducted at knifepoint in the parking lot.  One too many Criminal Minds episodes for this girl. 

Darn you, Criminal Minds.

I've long given up that show, because Matt convinced me that it wasn't a good choice for me since I'm so impressionable.  He's right.  It gives me bad ideas.  Case in point - images of him being held against his will somewhere plagued me as the hours wore on.  What if duct tape was involved?!

My dad sensed my nervousness even though I was trying to subdue it, and he prayed for Matt's safety over the phone.  In his wisdom, he suggested I read the Psalms, focus on truth, and "go easy on Matt when he comes home."  For the record, I'm not an exploder.  But an imploding wife is not real cheery to come home to either.  So dad's advice is sound.  Very sound.  Also for the record, I'm not in the habit of calling my dad with marriage woes (that's just textbook poor form), but in this particular instance I was concerned for Matt's SAFETY, an entirely different matter.

There, my good wifely name is still in tact.

So I camped out in Psalm 119 and prayed verse 76

"Now let Your unfailing love comfort me."

Psalm 91 and 121 gave me great comfort too, and I suggest meditating on those chapters for anyone struggling with fear.

When 11:30 rolled around, I somewhat calmly considered when it might be appropriate for me to file that missing persons report.

I do believe Jesus kept me from going into full-panic mode, but it's fair to say that I was unsettled and a little nervous.

The line between "nervous, crazy wife" and "responsible, reasonably concerned wife" became blurry to me.

Either Matt was working hard and exhausted, or he was a victim of a heinous crime.  Either way, I asked God to give him His strength and to sustain him and give him peace.

Around 12a.m. - My tired husband returns home.

I have a choice:

• Explode (not my go-to tactic).
• Brush it off and go easy on him (not the healthiest, I think).
• Communicate level-headedly and go easy on him by being understanding and gracious (best choice but not what happened).
• Cry (what I did).

Matt and I aren't going to win any awards for communication that day.  To his credit, the next day, I received about 7 texts from him throughout the day letting me know his status.  Over the top, but very considerate.  And helpful.

So when he got home at 1 a.m. the next night after another emergency procedure, I wasn't nervous at all.  We had pizza at the table and talked about his day.

A well-learned lesson to this rookie med-school wife about altering my expectations.  It saves me so much grief  (and embarrassment).

Cafe Gratitude

We have recently discovered a place called Cafe Gratitude in Kansas City.  It's a little, hippie vegan place.  I'm not typically into that kind of cuisine, but there I have found the most delicious dairy-free milkshakes, smoothies, and desserts.  A welcomed discovery for the dairy-intolerant, such as myself.

One thing Matt and I are so grateful for in this life is having relationships with older, wiser people who have spoken into our lives and who have influenced us in Christ.

One set of "spiritual parents" (as we like to call them) actually offered to sponsor date nights for us while Matt is in medical school.  Each month, we get a little note from them in the mail along with a check that we are only allowed to use for dates.

We did our pre and post-marital counseling with them, and when they told us that they wanted to invest into our marriage in this new way, we were speechless and a little teary.  It meant a lot.  With a son and son-in-law who recently finished medical school, they have demonstrated a particular understanding and empathy for us in this stage of our journey.  We have never felt like a project or an obligation to them.  They just genuinely cheerfully and faithfully support us, and it warms my heart no end.

At the same time, I hesitated to share what they have done at the risk of possibly embarrassing them, or coming across as bragging, or worse still, seeming to dishonor our own parents (who have also been wonderfully supportive, loving, and generous).  But, in the end, I decided that it honors Christ to share how His love compels His people to love each other in word and deed.

People who have modeled cheerful generosity to us have given us more than money or opportunities or things, they have given us an EXAMPLE, a picture of how we want to be with whatever God gives us in this life - open-handed & sharing.

Here we are making good on our promise to use our date money for a date at Cafe Gratitude.

With our dairy-free hazelnut chocolate pie.
My cheeks hurt a little bit from smiling.

We are grateful for you, Vic and Lindy!  Thank you for modeling Christ's love to us and for your faithful support on our journey.  It means the world to us.

Vic and Lindy