Friday, February 22, 2013

Finally.

What a fitting title.  Finally I have some time to sit down and finally write about it finally being 2013 and how this crazy/exciting/boring/hard/fun/poor-yet-rewarding time is about to finally be over...in four months, June 15th to be exact.

For those of you just tuning in, Hi!  I'm an inconsistent blogger who likes to complain, yet knows that I am truly blessed, yet hoping to become even more blessed this summer when my husband's medical training will finally be over!  He has been in school of some sort since the day I met him, August 17, 1999 to be exact.  That was the start of my freshman year in college, his sophomore.  Since graduating from THE University of Florida (GO GATORS!), we have endured 4 years of medical school (with and added year of earning his MPH, so that's 5 years), 3 years of a pediatric residency and 3 years of a dual fellowship in Neonatology (taking care of preemies and sick newborns) and Health Services research (RWJCSP).  That is 15 years of higher education.  15 years of getting paid nothing at all and then basically minimum wage when considering the hours put in.  

Now, before you start thinking I'm a desperate housewife who is looking for the big payoff, please know that I am just as excited, if not more so, for my husband who can finally start his career and stop jumping through all these hoops.  He has so much to offer this world, his patients and his family and while he has already given so much, I feel like I will truly see a different man come June 15th when he finally gets to see, feel, breath and live the culmination of so many years of literal sweat, blood and tears.  

With the end of the journey and the beginning of a new one approaching, there is a possibility of a new location as well.  For those of you who know me well, you know I've been counting down this possibility since the day we moved to MI.    I have missed FL dearly ever since I drove over the state line that June day in 2007.  After mourning the fact that a move back to FL would not be in my husband's best interest for his specific interests/career goals, I have had to come up with the next best thing.  We are now in the midst of "Decision 2013" which may be just as important as "Decision 2012".  While I'm pretty sure we made the right decision in 2012, I am hoping we undoubtedly make the right decision for 2013 and beyond.  

Without further ado, and in the words of my favorite song from The Clash, should I stay or should I go?  Midwest or the South?  Miserable winter or land-locked hot summers?  EST or CST?  Comfort of friends or closer to family?  Shopping at three different grocery stores or Publix?  'Eh' or y'all?  BIG10-craphole or SEC-heaven?  Ann Arbor or Nashville?  

It is time to finally make a decision.