Introducing...

Our new car.

For a long time we have struggled with multiple cars that were not reliable so finally we got one that will (cross your fingers) start every time we turn the key. Now Joe knows how he will get to work/school every day for a long, long time!

Square Foot Gardening

Because of prompting and help from my Dad I started square foot gardning this year. Honestly, it is out of controll... Square foot gardening is the perfect gardening method because it's more organized, it's simplified and it takes up way less space (not to mention the soil is far superior).

I have never had an amazing garden, never, until this year. For weeks we have been eating: lettuce, peas, squash, greed beans, bell peppers, strawberries and we have tons of jalepenos, parsle, tomatoes, edamame (though it's been taken over by the squash because I planted the wrong variety), onions, carrots, blackberries and soon tomatoes (they're still a bit green). I'm uber excited about my garden.

Life after this.

After a long, hard deliberation process Joe has finally decided to apply to ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) residency programs for his post-medical school training. ENT, also called Otolaryngology or head and neck surgery is a surgery subspecialty that you guessed it -obviously focuses on the head and neck. Joe has worked very hard to get to this point and we are seriously proud of his accomplishments thus far in medical school and his finally making a decision for the next step of his medical career.

ENT is a very competitive residency track so Joe will be working very hard during the next few months to hopefully secure a position in a residency program. In August he will take a licensing exam and apply to residencies. In September and October Joe will be in Gainsville, Florida and Omaha, Nebraska for away rotations (extended interviews). Hopefully in November, December and January he will be doing lots of interviews (cross your fingers) and in March he will find out if he matched and where. Assuming all goes as planned we will move in June 2010.

I am seriously grateful to have such a wonderful husband. In choosing his career path Joe was very careful to consider the needs of both Henry and I. He wavered between a lot of fields that he assumed would give him plenty of opportunity to interact with his family in a meaningful way. Choosing ENT was a difficult decision for Joe because of the rigors and length (5 years) of the residency program. After considering many other fields (family practice and emergency medicine among the many) Joe made th decision to become an ENT not only because he feels like he will be fulfilled in his career and help a needy population but so that he can continue to be a fabulous husband and father. Henry and I couldn't be more lucky!!

Aruba

Here are some of our pictures from our trip to Aruba in no logical order whatsoever:

So sad for the boys that their wives carelessly applied spray on sunblock. Our friend Jeremy on the left has a small unburned streak while Joe, on the right, has experienced severe neglect. Sorry!

After a long day of ocean kayaking Joe and I swam to this and jumped off.

Aruba's landscape is this: sand and cactus except on the coast where it's perfect white sand beaches or rocky cliffs as below.

The rocky coast.

A frog at the national park.

Different frog, same national park.

Caves.

Our favorite day was snorkeling on the Mi Dushi boat. Mi Dushi means My Sweetheart. Here is the sail of the boat.

Joe on the Mi Dushi

At our resort.

Horseback riding.

One of many pools at our resort.

Deep sea fishing.

On our fishing boat.