Fun Family Time

Last weekend my awesome Aunt Robin and two fabulous cousins, Megan & CJ, came to visit us in the Big Apple. We had an amazing time laughing and seeing the sites together. I have loved all of the family time that we have had lately. We are truly blessed to have such a great, loving family. Last weekend was CJ's first time away from Walter Reed Army Hospital since his injury in June. We were so glad that he chose us to spend his first weekend get-away with!

On another note, my first week at my new job is now in the past, and I have to say that it was amazing! I work with some of the most supportive and kind people that I have ever met. They have truly helped me in every way possible to feel welcome and wanted at this company. I look forward to going to work everyday, and I am so excited to see what the future holds.

Cody is still in internal medicine, but will soon start his 12 week surgery rotation, which is probably gonna be pretty tough. I know that he will be great at it, just like he has mastered internal medicine. I'm so proud of him!

Here are a few pictures from Aunt Rob, Megan, & CJ's visit:


Cody, Me, Megan, & CJ in front of the Wall St Bull

In front of the fountain by the Plaza Hotel

Aunt Rob, Megan, & CJ

Busy October

It's barely October, and already extremely busy...where to begin? Cody's sister, Jessica, came and stayed with us for a few days. We were able to see a lot of the city that we haven't seen yet. It was nice to have her here to spend time with. I think Cody and I get so used to it just being us, since that's the way it's been for the past 2 years, that we forget how much we enjoy our family's company. Macy enjoyed having a visitor in the house as well..another person to give her attention and affection :) I had a job interview come up while Jess was here. She was very helpful with prepping me for this position, which means I got the job! I am so excited! I start my training for 2 weeks on Monday. Then hit the ground running full force after that..I am so ready for this. My official title is an account executive, but pretty much I am a sales executive trying to get advertisers to use our company through the internet. This job is going to be huge for me! I'm so excited to finally be branching out of my education degree. Don't get me wrong, I have no regrets about getting the degree that I got, but now it's time to prove myself in the business world..and of all places to start...Manhattan, New York!!! I am so grateful for this opportunity. There are people that would kill to have this opportunity that I've been given. I can only go up from here. I'm so excited to see where this new career takes me! The best part about getting this job is that I got it completely on my own! I had no connections whatsoever in New York that helped me get this position..it was all me with a little coaching from my hubby and sis-in-law :) I have more exciting news...my Aunt Robin and 2 cousins, Megan & CJ are coming to visit us from DC this weekend. CJ is my cousin who was injured in Afghanistan. He is doing so great, and is finally in out-patient, so they decided to take a little trip from DC to come see us. Looks like we will be doing more site-seeing and exploring the city again this weekend!

Some recent pictures:

                                    Walking the Brooklyn Bridge

                                     Mace & I at Carlo's Bake Shop

                                                    Jess & Cody

Fall is Here!

You could not tell by the weather today that it is actually fall. It got up into the high 70's today, and tomorrow's high is supposed to be in the 80's. It seems that every place we move to seems to have extreme and unusual weather. In England, it was one of the coldest winters they had in years, and it actually snowed and stuck several times. In Grenada, it was extremely hot, and we hardly had any rain in the "rainy season" causing a drought. Now in New York, it is now fall, and the weather is getting into the 80's. I think we just bring extreme weather with us where ever we go! I can't complain too much. We still absolutely love New York. I'm not gonna let a little thing like weather give me a negative thought about New York. I know that we will have cold weather soon enough, so I'm enjoying the last few weeks of warmth. All is well here...We are really adjusting to our new way of life. I am still trying to find "the perfect job", which I'm determined does exist. I am leaving it in God's hands and trusting that he will lead me to it. I have gone on several interviews, but for one reason or another, just doesn't seem to be the right job. Cody is still in internal medicine. I have to say that he has a pretty easy schedule. He usually is at the hospital around 9:00am and home by 4:30 or 5:00pm. He doesn't work any weekends, which according to other med students wives, is very rare. He has had some nights were he comes home semi-late, but I'm very grateful to have him around!

I took Macy for a long walk today. We have our everyday, usual route that she likes to take, but I decided to change it up a bit. So we walked a good 20 minutes away from the apartment, on a street that she had never been on. I decided to see if she could find her way back home. So I told her to show me where she wanted to go. She started pulling on her leash off in a direction that she wanted to go. I was convinced that she didn't have a clue where she was going, and I wasn't even completely sure where we were at. She led me down streets that I had never even seen. Finally she turned down a street that I was familiar with, and there appeared LICH..She led us to Cody's hospital! I laughed and texted Cody to tell him. I thought it was so funny. Macy has been to LICH several times to meet Cody, but never from the route that we were on. She knows that LICH is where we meet Cody. She decided to take a break and sit on the sidewalk. Then I told her to show me where she wanted to go now. She led us to our normal route from LICH towards home, and walked all the way home. So I guess my question was answered...Macy has a better since of direction than I do :)

My parents' 27th wedding anniversary is tomorrow. I am so blessed to have parents that are married and not divorced. I do not know how people handle having split up families. I thank God everyday for my loving parents and my wonderful family!

New & Exciting Things!

There has been so much going on lately! We made the big move to New York, moved into our new apartment, celebrated my 25th birthday, and Cody had his first day of clinical rotations at LICH in internal medicine! We celebrated my 25th birthday at the neatest little Mexican place that is just a block away from us. It looks over into Manhattan, so the views are amazing! We are absolutely loving our new city! It is absolutely amazing here, and there is just so much to do! We also absolutely love our apartment! Our landlord had the painters come in on Sunday and paint the whole place the colors that we chose, which was great! I will post pictures soon of the apartment. I walk Macy several times a day in our neighborhood, and I can not say enough good things about it. There is a pet store on the street right behind us, a grooming place on the same street as us, a dry cleaners right behind us, a car mechanic shop a block away, a grocery store that is right off of our street, and all the shops and restaurants that you could ever ask for!!! And to top it all off, it is completely safe! I can walk around any time, day or night, and no one bothers me..it's so great and very different from Grenada (no offense to our little island home)! Macy is actually adjusting pretty well too. She loves going on her walks and has her favorite spots where she likes to go potty. The whole "curb your dog" thing has been an adjustment because I'm not used to picking up her poop, but I bought the cute little doggie poop plastic bags with the holder that hooks to my keychain :)
I still need to hang curtains in the living room of the apartment, so once that is done, I will take pictures of it and post them! Cody is doing well at the hospital and is learning all kinds of new things. I am still on the job hunt, which is not an easy task, but I am determined to find something! I keep everyone posted...

Summer Time is Almost Over

I know that I have not blogged in quite a while, but so much has been going on! Just a recap of what's been going on with us lately: Cody and I went to New York and found the perfect condo, we stopped in DC and visited my cousin, CJ, who was injured in Afghanistan, Cody had his 25th birthday and took his Step 1 USMLE, then we took a mini vacation with Jess and Joe and went to an Astros vs. Cubs game, Schlitterbahn, and Man United vs. MLS Allstars game!!! Needless to say that we have been super busy, and we have loved all of our time at home! Cody's start date at LICH has changed from August 16th (my birthday) to August 11th, so we will be moving to New York on August 9th..which is a little sooner than we had planned, but we are looking forward to the next chapter in our lives!

Life in LA

When I think about all the different places we have lived in just 2 years time, it absolutely blows my mind. I sometimes feel like we are a military family instead of medical students. I have really enjoyed my time at home. We have been home almost 6 weeks and have about 6 more weeks left. There is a lot that has happened since we've been home. My cousin, Todd, who has NF2 had a body scan and found out that he has no tumors anywhere in his body, which is an absolute miracle. The only tumor that he has is the one that the doctor left in his head, and it hasn't grown any! Then on the same day that Todd had his body scan, CJ was injuried in Afghanistan, which was devistating! CJ is now doing better, but we got news yesterday that my Aunt and Uncle's dog, Gabby, has cancer. This dog has been their baby for 10 years, and I can only imagine what they are going through. It seems that both good and bad news have been lurking around the corner of our family over the last week or so. Our faith in God and the bond of our family is stronger than ever. I keep telling myself that God won't give us anything that we can't handle, but I have to admit that it has been a lot to deal with. I am just grateful that I have been able to be home for all of this, and am so glad that I wasn't a plane ride away! I will try to post some recent pictures of our time at home later.

The places we have lived as a married couple (pictures are compliments of google):


We moved to Newcastle, England after only being married 2 months!


Then we were off to the Caribbean island of Grenada!


Our home for the next 2 years will be Brooklyn, New York!

I can't wait to see where God will send us next..I am putting in my request to be in the South part of the States!

A True American Hero

My cousin, CJ Stewart, was injured in Afghanistan on Tuesday, June 15th. Their base camp was attacked and CJ, being a medic, went to grab his medic bag when a rocket powered grenade blew up in front of him. He suffered significant injury to his right arm and right leg. His right hand had to be reattached, and he has had many surgeries and procedures done to save his right arm. The army finally flew him to Maryland to Walter Reed Hospital, where he will be for a while. His parents were able to see him for the first time on Father's Day when he landed in the States. Words can not describe the feelings and emotions that have been stirring through my body and the rest of my family. We are all truly grateful that he is alive! We have been reminded every day since that incident that we serve an awesome God who has continued to work miracles around us. CJ could have very well been killed in that explosion, as were some of the other soldiers. God chose to spare him for whatever the reason, and we will always be in deep gratitude for that. I think we as Americans take all of our freedoms for granted, and we should be ashamed. There are these young men going over into foreign lands to fight for our freedom that we don't even realize we have. I will tell you that my dear, sweet CJ has not taken the smile off of his face since this happened. His spirits have been high, and not one complaint has come out of his mouth. I know that we all live busy lives, but when an American soldier is wounded and just happens to be your family, I think that it makes you see things in a whole new perspective. We are all blessed to have someone as special and as brave as CJ fighting for our freedom, and we as Americans need to take a step back and remember what we are fighting for. We love you CJ! Stay strong and keep that big, beautiful smile on your face!


CJ Stewart..A hero at just 21 years old.


This kid was destined to do great things.


After the accident..with a smile on his face!

Mom's Birthday Celebration!

This is one of my favorite pictures of Mom and me, and yesterday was Mom's birthday! I was so glad that I was able to be home to celebrate this day with her. I am so lucky to have such a kind, loving, beautiful, and caring Mom who is always there for me and takes care of all of us! We tried to make her birthday as special as possible by sending her flowers at work, getting her nice gifts, having birthday cake, and then I cleaned the whole house today so she can have a nice, relaxing weekend! We love you Mom and hope that you enjoyed your birthday!

Our Second Anniversary

Monday, May 31st, Cody and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary. I was bummed that it was on Memorial Day, since I specifically planned our wedding to where I never thought that it would fall on that day since it was the last day in May, but it happened anyway! Cody studied most of the day, and then we went to several furniture stores looking for a couch for our New York apartment. Then we went to eat at Saltgrass for dinner. We also stayed at the Horseshoe Hotel for the night and watched The Lovely Bones on payperview. It was nice for just the two of us to spend quality time together. Don't get me wrong, we love our families dearly, but we are living with them 24/7..which is a huge difference when we are used to it being just us. We have had a very exciting and unusual first two years of marriage, and I'm sure much more is sure to come in the future years!

May 31, 2008:

4-Wheelin

I must say that I am very glad to be home. It has been very nice being able to hang out with all of my family and friends. The other day, my brother Blake and I decided to go 4-Wheeler riding. My parents' live on Lake Bistineau, and right now they have drained it in order to do some work on the dam. So most of the lake is completely dried up with lots of muddy places, which is perfect for riding 4-Wheelers..especially when it's right in your yard! We had a great time! We even took Macy for a short ride around on the 4-Wheeler..She's such an adventurous dog! I enjoyed hanging out with my little brother and am so glad to be home!


The lake in front of my parents' house


It was about to rain, so the pic is a little dark and cloudy


Me, Blake, and Mace riding on the 4-Wheeler

We Finally Made It!!!

We finally made it back home after a 24 hour journey! It started in Grenada, when our friend Kensi told us that they weren't letting dogs on the plane since it was an American Eagle plane (smaller plane), and that the next flight that would allow dogs would be on the 23rd (9 days later!!!). So of course we were freaking out! Cody tells the people at the airport that Macy is a service dog, but we didn't have her paperwork. Imagine Macy as a service dog..that's pretty funny, but it worked! I was a little upset that Cody lied in order to get us on the plane. I told him to ask God for forgiveness or I wasn't setting foot on the plane (I am already a nervous flyer, so I wasn't going to get on a plane without having things right with God)! So after that flight, we landed in Puerto Rico, and there was a golf cart and wheelchair for me since I was on crutches. Then we got on the plane and headed to Dallas. We were about 1 1/2 hours out of Dallas, when the pilot came on the intercom and said that we were turning around and heading to Miami because the DFW airport was closed due to weather. We were just sick! We were so close to being home. So then once we got to Miami, we had to wait a few hours and finally caught another plane going to Dallas. We didn't get to Dallas until late, and there were no Shreveport flights flying out that night. So we tried to get a rent car, but they wouldn't do one-ways, so we ended up taking a 3 1/2 hour taxi ride to Shreveport. By the time we made it home it had been 24 hours since we had woken up that morning. We were exhausted! I am glad to be back and not have to make that journey any more! Here are some pictures that we have taken since returning back to the US:


After church


Macy with her new summer haircut in her polka dotted bikini that my Mom bought her :)

Our Last Day in Grenada!

My last pool day with the girls! (From left to right: Lauren and baby Maddox, Ashley, Me, Vanessa, Stephanie and little Emma, Alexis holding baby Weston, and little Zane)

Today is our last day in Grenada! I can't believe the time has gone by so fast. It seems like just yesterday we were starting the beginning of our 2 year journey in the UK, and now we are done with Cody's book part of medical school! Now just 2 more years of hospital rotations in New York, and my husband will have M.D. behind his name! I must say that I do look forward to being calling Dr. and Mrs. Tingle..it has a nice ring to it! Cody has definitely worked hard and deserves it..I on the other hand have made plenty of sacrifices and done my part to be a good wife, and I feel like I too deserve all of the benefits that come along with being a doctor's wife! Today was my last time to go and hang out at the pool with the girls. It was so odd to lounge in the chairs and know that this was my last time to be there. There are so many things that I will miss about Grenada, but the thing that I will miss the most are the incredible girls that I have become so close to. Without them, this past year would have been so boring and lonely. We will all be hanging out at the beach tonight with a bonfire..Then we are going to one of our favorite restaurants on the island, the Aquarium! I can't believe it's all coming to an end, but I will enjoy these last moments with our dear friends. Hopefully, we will see them again in New York when the time comes. Love you all!

Unconditional Love

I don't think it gets any sweeter than this! My sweet girl laying by her Momma's hurt foot..Pure Love!!!

Oh, and by the way, we were packing..That's why there is stuff everywhere :)

Swim Time!

Today Vanessa and I took Macy to the beach. We are getting so close to the end of our life on the island, that I figured I better take Macy to the beach just in case she doesn't get to go before we leave. I asked Vanessa to come along with us for some fun in the sun! We went to the LAE beach since it is usually pretty quiet and secluded from people and most importantly..other dogs! Macy was able to have most of the beach to herself, and she was happy to run and swim around. I didn't actually have on my swimsuit..just my sports bra from working out, and my swim bottoms that I happened to throw on before we left for the beach. I'm glad that I was able to spend this day at the beach with my sweet little beach dog, and thanks Vanessa for coming along and taking some pics of us! We will miss you when we leave the island!


My sweet girl with her lifejacket on :)


Me and Mace sitting on the rocks


Swimming with my little water dog!

Here is a little video clip of Macy swimming:

Dinner at Laluna

Last night, Cody and I went and ate supper (or dinner as some people call it) at Laluna. I had been to Laluna before with some of the girls to do sunset yoga, but never to eat. I have to say that it was the nicest place on the island, but also the priciest. We got there for our reservations, and they weren't serving dinner yet, so we hung out around the bar area where they had nice big comfy couches and chairs. It was nice just to relax and chat. Then we went to eat dinner. Cody got steak (his favorite), and I got farfalle pasta with scallops..both were delicious! We were very impressed with the service, and even the chef came out to ask how our food was. I am so glad that we were able to have a nice, quiet evening on one of our last nights in Grenada. What a great way to remember the island!


Lounging before dinner


Cody waiting for dinner


At our table

Last Few Weeks on the Island!

I have not blogged as much over the past months. I think it's because I have finally realized that my time on the island is coming to an end. It seems like ever since Mom and Blake left, that they took my soul with them, and I have just been so ready to go home ever since. We have less than 4 weeks left, and I have tried to find reasons for me to change my ticket date and fly home early! I am really tired of just having nothing to do..this may sound funny to some people, but seriously having no job for almost 2 years is really starting to get to me. I feel like I went to college, got a degree, and then did nothing with it. I am ready to actually put my brain to good use! I am so ready to move to New York. I am really looking forward to all of the amenities that I have had to live without for 2 years while being abroad. I am looking forward to actually having our own furniture, dishes, cookware, stuff, king size bed, and all of my clothes and shoes (not just what I can fit in a suitcase)! I am ready to be in a place where I can actually buy something to decorate with, and not have to worry about not being able to take it with me when we move. I can picture Cody, Macy, and me on a rainy weekend in New York, curled up on our couch with blankets and hot chocolate watching a good movie..that seems like heaven to me! I will be glad to finally be in a place where there are actually seasons. In England we had one season: COLD, WET, and CLOUDY! In Grenada we had one season: HOT! I am trying my best to get through the last few weeks, so I can get home to start our new life. I am keeping myself busy with lots of exercising (I have actually lost some weight and toned up quite a bit, which I'm very proud of). I really don't have many new pictures to post, but I do have some new ones of Macy that always make me smile!


Macy was being so funny in this picture..Cody was taking pictures of me, and Macy kept getting in the pictures like she wanted her picture taken, so she sat still and posed while I took her picture :)


Laying on the balcony..One of her favorite past times!


Chewing on a raw hide while laying on a pillow..She's too much of a princess to lay on the floor..haha!

Next Destination: Brooklyn, New York

(Photo: compliments of google)

We got our placement for Cody's two years of rotations on Friday. He got placed at the Long Island College Hospital (aka LICH) that is in Brooklyn, NY. I am so excited! We knew that we were more than likely headed to New York, but this just makes things a little more official. I have been job searching like crazy for the past few weeks. I have applied to any and all jobs out there! I really don't care what I do (ok maybe I'm exaggerating a bit), but I'm just so ready to have a job. After two years of not working, it is time for me to step into the real work world. I know that Cody's clinical years will be challenging, but I really feel like this move is more of a challenge for me than it is for him. I mean if you think about it, I'm the one that's going out on my own into the fascinating work field of New York..it's kind of scary! Especially when I'm not even from the Northeast! Cody will be safely in the hospital that SGU provided for him..he's guaranteed a position, and I'm not, especially with so many people out of work. Hopefully I will hear something back from some of these people that I'm sending resumes to. It's just so difficult when I am in Grenada, so they can't contact me by phone. I have to depend soley on email. I will be so glad to be back in the States, which will make it a little easier. I still think the sooner we get to New York, the easier it will be for me to actually get a job, b/c then I will be able to go to job fairs and interviews. It's such a mess. I have to remember that it's all in God's hands, and it will work out the way he wants it to! As of now, we only have 4 1/2 weeks left on this island until we come home for our break. We're not exactly sure how long we will be home this time, but Cody takes his USMLE towards the beginning of July, so sometime after that we will be New York bound!

Cody's GSP Graduation

Today we went to Cody's Global Scholarship Program graduation ceremony, and he received a higher learning degree from Northumbria University (which is an equivalent of a Master's degree in the States). I guess it's just one of the perks of doing his first year of medical school in the UK. I think it's pretty cool for him to be able to say that he actually has a degree that came from England, and just one more certificate to frame and put on the wall in his future doctor's office! I am so proud of him!

Here are some of the pictures from the ceremony:


Cody and me before the ceremony


Cody receiving his degree


Cody and one of his classmates who is actually from Grenada


After the ceremony


Chase, Cody, and Zach

Intruder

I came into the kitchen, and this is what I saw on my wall, so I screamed! I usually like little creatures, but something about his little tail twitching as he climbed up my wall just totally freaked me out. I got my broom thinking that I could knock him off the wall and out the door in one motion. Didn't work out exactly as I had planned. When I got my broom close to him, he jumped off the wall and ran under the stove as Macy chased after him. I tried to get him out from under the stove, but it's hopeless. He has made it his permanent home and has no intention of moving. Thankfully Cody will be home soon, and hopefully will be able to get him out of the house!

Bittersweet Goodbyes

Macy and I took Mom and Blake to the airport this morning for their flight home. I have to admit that I am extremely sad. I wish that they could stay here with me all the time, but I know that my Dad probably misses them terribly. We only have 9 weeks from tomorrow left on this island. I think that I am ready to pack up my bikini and sunglasses and put an American flag on my car :)..It is so weird how we have lived in 2 different countries for almost 2 years. I am ready to be back on US soil, and soak up all of the great things that come along with being an American! Most of all, I am ready to be closer to my family. Even though New York is still a plane ride away, it is at least in the States and not as far away as we are now. I am grateful for all of the experiences that I have had in my short life and at the same time, long life. I feel that it has made me a stronger person, and really made me appreciate the simple things in life that God has blessed me with. I intend to enjoy my last 2 months in Grenada, but am looking forward to what the future holds for us!

Here are some pics from Mom and Blake's visit..We took like 600 pictures, so there's no way that I'm gonna post them all :)


Macy with her new favorite toy that Mom brought her!


The Beach House


Mom and her kids at the Aquarium


At the Aquarium for Blake's 20th Birthday!

Mom and Blake's Arrival to the Island

Mom and Blake will be here in about 2 hours, and I absolutely can not wait! They will be here for a whole week, and I am looking forward to much needed time with my family. My Dad decided to stay home since he's not really into the sun and beach, but at least my Mom and brother are coming. These will be the longest 2 hours ever!!!

These are some pictures from when Mom, Dad, and Blake visited us in the UK this time last year:


Dad, Mom, and Blake the day they arrived in Newcastle


Cody, Blake, and Me in Hardrock Cafe in London


Me, my parents, and brother in front of Kensington Palace in London


Me and Blake on the coast in front of Bamburgh Castle


Mom and Me at Bamburgh Castle