At least I've narrowed it down, I think....

So, as the summer winds down and my Fall semester creeps up, I definitely have to start getting serious again. I have pulled out some of my text books and am already beginning to study for my board exam known as the PANCE. At the very earliest, I can take this exam 7 days after my graduation date. So, the earliest I can take it is December 21, I believe. I know...right before Christmas. ug! I think I might try to take it that day, if there is a location open, or else I might have to wait until after Christmas. But I really want to take it as soon as possible so I can work as soon as possible (or worse case scenario if for some horrible reason I fail the exam...I can retake it as soon as possible - which I believe you have to wait 90 days! ack!).

Anywho, so not only am I thinking about this & my school responsibilites for the Fall, but I am also seriously putting thought into WHAT I WANT TO DO. I think I have narrowed it down to either family/internal medicine at an outpatient clinic or oncology at MD Anderson. I got that call on Sunday from an internal med doc that I worked with last Fall who has an opening and is interested in talking to me about it, and there is another family med doc that I also rotated with & really clicked with that I am planning on talking to soon. And of course, I loved, loved my time at MD Anderson & cancer patients will always have a special place in my heart. So, why is this so hard to decide? Well, I LOVE both. There is a part of me that thinks it might be good to work in general internal medicine for a while before specializing in something like oncology in order to get a good basis. Although that is not necessary in order to get a job in a specialty. I met several PAs at MDA that started there straight after school. I would probably get better pay & benefits at a place like MDA compared to working at a small clinic, but money isn't everything....especially not right out of school. There is always time to make more money later once I am more experienced. But I loved both! So, you see my dilemma. I am hoping that when it comes time to officially apply for jobs, that it will all fall into place. As my parents always say, things always work out for the best, so don't worry.

Oh, and by the way, next Wed & Thurs, I will spend some time in plastic surgery at the VA in the med center. So, if I really like that, that could throw another wrench in the thinking machine. And yes, I still like surgery....

Then, of course, where I get a job will dictate where we move. So, there is that to think about, too. One of the docs is in Alvin, one is in Katy, and MDA is in the Medical Center. Then there is always the thought of trying to move back to The Woodlands area. Spending the day there on Wednesday was soooo nice (& we would be closer to my parents and some of my friends).

See, lots to think about.

I know it'll all fall into place when the time comes.

I periodically read some of my previous blogs, and found this one from this past Fall. A good one & fitting for this blog. Doc, in this blog, is the one in Alvin. The blog is: Circle of Life

?????

It's not real!

The hubby drew this on my ankle.....

He's a great drawer, no? Free hand and all!

I don't think I like it there...

Don't worry, Mom. We were just playin & I haven't made up my mind.

;)

Ain't He Cute?

nene precioso

Well, the good thing about having all this free time, is that I have time to catch up with some of my family & friends. I've been fortunate that I have been able to travel to see my BFF & her hubby and ETK & her hubby this summer. I was able to travel to Ohio to spend some time with family. This week, I am catching up with some of my Woodlands girls. I spent the day yesterday with one of them and her cutie-pie lil' boy. He is so adorable & she has another one on the way!!! (No, I am not getting any ideas.) I focused so much on taking photos of him, that I totally forgot to get a pic of T and me. It was so good to see her. I definitely need to be better at seeing her more now that school is less hectic. We always have great talks & lots of laughter. I also need to see more of her hubby's band. They put on a great show. Very good!

This Sunday, I am spending some beach time with another one of my Woodlands' girls. Hopefully we won't melt. We are going to get our tan on (hopefully not burn to a crisp)!!!

Then, as you saw below, we have our upcoming rafting/camping trip next weekend with ETK & Baby in Tennessee. We're pumped!

Even though I have had moments of boredom this summer, I am definitely blessed to have the time off to decompress, rest, chill, do whatever I want, travel, and see loved ones. Start next January or February when I get a job, reality will slap me in the face and I won't have summers like this again. So, I better appreciate it while I have it.

(Speaking of reality, I'm excited!...I already got a call on Sunday from one of my previous preceptors about a job opening in family medicine. We're going to chat about it soon.)

CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

link 1

link 2

To paint or not to paint, continued....

Here is our progress on the half-bath. The yellow is growing on us, especially with the addition of these pictures that we picked up today in Highland Village. The hubby has a knack for this kind of detail that I am slowly learning.... Must have been all his art classes that he took in school growing up.... and his attention to detail. Wish I had it. I'm trying!

Now we want to get a chocolate colored rug & hand towels to add more contrast to the yellow & match the picture frames.

Things I Love!

I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it!

MINI's Link

With All This Rain

Merlah has decided that she is going to start

wearing a rain jacket all the time!!!!

And she is contemplating on whether or not she needs matching galoshes...

Poor Merl-dawg!

My Heart Goes Out

to those in Minneapolis, MN. How devasting to have a major bridge collapse. Lives have been lost & there are some still missing. How scary.

My hubby's company is based in Minneapolis, and selfishly, we are hoping noone he knows has been affected by this. I'm glad he wasn't there.

My thoughts & prayers go out to those in Minneapolis.

To Paint or Not to Paint? That is the Question.

We are already in the thought mode of how best to prep our house for a possible placement on the market NEXT summer. At that point we'll have been in the townhome for almost 3 years and hopefully the neighborhood will be finished or close to it. We are continuing with little decorating here and there for our own nesting purposes & with thoughts of what would look best when it is on the market. Try to stay neutral, neutral, warm, homey...yadda-yadda.....take HGTV's advice. Yes, we are getting advice from HGTV. Hope it all helps in the end.

So, that brings us to the paint discussion. We had all these wonderful ideas of painting the interior either ourselves or most recently thinking of hiring a crew like hubby's mom did (they did a great job for great price). BUT....BUT.... We have been watching HGTV's shows on how to best prep your home to sell. They are all about being neutral and not doing too much unless it is to make it more neutral....basically creating a clean template for the next home owner so they can picture their stuff in your house.

Well, we did a test run on the smallest room in our house, the downstairs half-bath. We chose what we thought was a nice warm, not too bright yellow called "toasted wheat." HA, not too bright my bootie. ;p Well, it is MUCH brighter than we thought. Not sure if I am too fond of it, but it is starting to grow on me. BUT it was an interesting lesson.....and put even more doubt into my head (our heads) of whether or not to paint the other rooms. Perhaps it might be best to keep it that neutral, builder eggshell color. Perhaps just touch up in places that got scratched over the past 2 years we've been here. (Wow, I can't believe it's been 2 years!)

It would look nice to see more color in the rooms, but maybe we just keep adding a little more decor here and there. Is it really worth the time and money to paint if we are going to move (hopefully) in a year? Would the paint help sell the house or hinder? Would we see the return in investment? All questions that swarm in our heads.

I just dunno.

????

Cuz This is Thriller....

mmmmkay.... um.... is this fo' real?