Travels in Virginia

A few days ago I posted a not-so-uplifting post about the dregs of job hunting. I really need a place to vent all my frustrations, partially so that I could better move forward in the job search.

Alas, some fruit.

Paul went to Tulsa, Oklahoma for an interview on Tuesday, February 13. The interview went well enough. He enjoyed the radiology group and felt like we could be happy there. But there were a few drawbacks. He wouldn’t be able to perform the entire spectrum of what an interventional radiologist (IR) can do...their practice was rather limited. And, instead of working with numerous IR docs, he would mostly be on his own, working at one of many satellite hospitals.

Paul was really looking for somewhat of a mentorship with his first job - during those first few years out of fellowship, it’s really a time to hone your skills and really settle into it. Also, fellowships don’t train you in every IR procedure out there, so he wanted to find a place that could provide him with additional training. You might wonder how, after 10 years of medical training, he still wouldn't know some of the stuff he would need to know. This happens because there is some crossover between IR and vascular surgery; for example, at some hospitals, interventional radiology with perform particular, whereas somewhere else, vascular surgeons will do it. Depending on where you train, you will learn different procedures, depending on what kind of a hospital it is (trauma, cancer, etc). Also, depending on the relative age of your colleagues, and when and where they trained, will also affect the types of cases that you will do.

After that interview, he thought Tulsa would be okay, but not ideal. The following Monday, he interviewed in Richmond, Virginia.

I decided to go with him. Partly because we could go a day early to see his 3 siblings in Williamsburg, and partly because on Tuesday, he would be interviewing in Winchester, VA, in northern Virginia. I figured I would like visiting these places where we might live, and, knowing my husband, he would be happier and enjoy his trip more if he weren’t alone.

Sunday afternoon we arrived in Williamsburg (after a Delta flight with my own personal TV...I just loved being able to watch whatever I wanted and not pay for it. I watched Thor Ragnorak again...sorry...needless aside...it was awesome though). We ate Sunday dinner with Aaron, Tandy, Erika, Steve, and Christina, with 10 nieces and nephews running in circles around the room. We talked of how awesome it would be if we ended up in VA, and how odd, considering none of us really ever planned on being East Coasters. It was then that I realized that I really hoped that the Richmond job was Paul’s favorite. I wanted to be nearer to these people. It was so fun and relaxing being around them. We had always dreamed of being in the mountains, but can mountains really compare to being with family that you love?

I dropped Paul off at his interview the next morning, while I bummed around Richmond for the rest of the day. I stopped at Wegman’s, exchanged the rental car for a different one, lunched alone at a French bistro, and visited the Virginia Art Museum to see the Terracotta Warrior exhibit. It really was amazing. I got goosebumps all over when I walked into the room. To imagine the time and dedication of the craftsman to creative thousands of distinct faces and features. To remember how old they are and how well preserved. It was inspiring to think of all that went into their creation, and that I was able to view them so simply. I longed more than ever before to travel to China to see the entire army together.

When I picked Paul up, he immediately began to tell me all the good things about the group...the variety of cases they do, the personalities of the other radiologists, the benefits, etc. It was all positive. If anything, he was overwhelmed by how much he would have to learn to be up to speed with the rest of the group, since they do the entire spectrum of IR procedures, including all the stuff shared with vascular surgeons, as well as old-school procedures and new-school stuff.

When the group heard that I was coming to town as well, they decided to take us out to dinner (I think my coming showed them that we were pretty interested in moving there). We met up with 4 interventionalists and their wives for dinner. It was fun to converse with his possible future colleagues. We’ve never been very social with Paul’s coworkers, preferring instead to spend time with family or close friends, so it was fun to see how easily we fell into conversation. I could see why Paul had been so excited after his interview - at the prospect of working with people whom he really enjoyed.

Dinner went late...til about 9:30. So we got a late start on our 2.5 hour drive to Winchester. Gratefully his interview wasn’t until 10 the next morning, so we had time to sleep in and wander around this quaint little town on the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley. While he interviewed, I drove around the countryside, imagining having an orchard, letting our kids run all over the backyard, having a dog (!), living in a town of 20,000, and adapting to small-town living. When I picked him up that afternoon, he told me pretty quickly that it wasn’t quite what he was looking for. Like Tulsa, they didn’t do a lot of procedures that he would like to do, and he wouldn’t really get that mentorship on new procedures like he hoped. Plus, if we were going to live on the East Coast, we would rather be only 45 minutes from Williamsburg family instead of 3 hours. On our drive to the DC airport, he pretty much said he would go with the job in Richmond.

That was Tuesday afternoon. I expected him to contact Richmond on Wednesday to let them know his decision. But no. He continued to hem and haw about it. Debating location with pay with amenities with procedures with family time to partnership with cost of living with everything. I kept asking if he was going to text them, and he kept saying, “It’s such a big decision!” with which I heartily agreed. I stopped asking when he was going to respond to them, making sure that he came to the conclusion on his own.

Finally, on Saturday morning, after discussing it with me one final time, and realizing that this really was the perfect job (except that we wouldn’t have mountains close), he texted his contact there, saying that if they would have him, he would take the position. Hilariously enough, after that he kept checking his phone every minute to see if he responded. Luckily he didn’t have to wait to long. His contact said that they had already voted to hire him.

Huge sigh of relief. And let the excitement and planning begin!

We had always planned to live in the West - in the mountains more than anything. But here we are, planning a move to a place I never thought I’d live. And I am thrilled to be moving there. Why? Because family is way better than the mountains. Because we are pretty certain that he will love the work that he is doing...and if your husband is happy at work, he’s happier ALL the time. Because Virginia is beautiful! It reminds me so much of Wisconsin, without mountains of snow and subzero temperatures. And it’s almost the same size as Milwaukee. I think I’ll feel right at home.

Dame Girls in Albuquerque

A few months ago, one of my sisters started to plan a sisters weekend. We hadn't done one in about 5 years, and we were well overdue. As we tried to pick a weekend between our 6 busy schedules, the one that worked best for everyone else was a weekend that Paul was on call (therefore, he couldn't be depended upon to watch the kids since he might have to go into work in the middle of the night). My sister suggested that maybe they all come to Albuquerque, so that it would be easier on Paul and I to work out child care. Plus, they figured, I am only living in ABQ for a year, so if they ever wanted to visit, now would be the time.

So, on Thursday the 8th, my sisters started flying in. My parents had driven over from Phoenix earlier in the week, and my dad was going to hold down the fort with my kids so Paul could work and Mom could be with the girls. That way, if the kids got too crazy for him, my mom or I could come over and help out. 

I found a little airbnb in Nob Hill, and it was perfect. We mostly talked all weekend, and in the evenings watched Lisa and Val do their stretches, which looked terribly uncomfortable at times. We also read the book We Were the Lucky Ones, and had a really great, and long, book discussion.

While at lunch at Crepe Michel in Old Town Albuquerque, I had been telling them how Paul's brother had introduced flavored oils and vinegars, particularly ones that you put on ice cream. They couldn't believe that I really put oil and vinegar on my ice cream, so I promised to stop by my house to pick some up. And then, while on our way to the car, we walked past an oil and vinegar store! We were able to taste a few and they all got excited to buy some fancy vinegars when they got home :)

We were so lucky to have sweet baby Emma with us on the trip! Keeley (my sister in law) has such an adorable little baby. I'm glad Keeley was willing to brave traveling with her so she could join us!

We road the Sandia Peak Tram to catch the sunset, great views, and hike around a bit. Sadly, my mom got the stomach flu (from my kids!) so she stayed home and rested all of the first day. I felt so terrible that we had passed it on to her! She would have loved the tram.

On Saturday, after lazing around all morning, we hiked up to some of the petroglphys near the city. It's always fun being with Val on hikes like this since she somehow remembers the geology she learned in college!

We had wonderful Mexican, Thai, French, and Indian food all weekend. I was sad to see them all go, and so grateful they were happy to come to New Mexico for a few days together. Hopefully it won't be 5 years before we an get together without our kids again!

Bubba's Birthday

Somehow it’s been 6 years since Niels joined our family. How the years have flown. He was born about 8 weeks after I turned 30, in our last few months of medical school. He was a tough baby...he didn’t sleep well for the first year, but once he turned one and started sleeping well, he has been the best kid ever. I remember when he was 2 he would come up and hug me about 60 times a day. This boy...he is wonderfully tender hearted. He rushes into my room every morning at 6:00 to snuggle me. He asks what we will do that day, makes a plan about what he’ll eat for breakfast, and helps me get out of bed to go exercise. He loves to obey, and when I do have to scold him, he sincerely feels bad for disobeying. He always wants to finish his school work first thing in the morning, partly so he can then play learning games, but also because he really love math and reading.

He loves all things army/Air Force/navy related right now, so finding gifts for him is pretty easy. Grandma and Grandpa Iverson sent us Paul’s old Mega Force toys and Micro Machines. They (of course Anders assumes they are his) loved them so much they haven’t asked to watch TV for a week...they are constantly playing them.

Ane Chick-fil-a somehow managed to be his birthday meal choice.

I actually had a lot of fun making this cake. Thanks to the internet for lots of ideas that I threw together to make it work.

We love you Niels! You're the sweetest boy a mother could have!

This and That - January Part 2

January was a good month in many ways despite still not having a job lined up for July.

Hattie, Anna, and Niels started taking a weekly science class at our local science museum. While they get to do experiments for an hour every week, I get to hang out with Erik and Anders. It's a bit odd temporarily only having two little kids. I know that if I sent my kids to public school, this wouldn't be such a novelty, but for me, spending an hour following Anders around, doing whatever he wants, has be delightful.

Niels built a tin foil boat on his first week. I still can't get him to keep his tongue in his mouth when he is concentrating.

When learning about groundwater in our geology class, Hattie constructed her own aquifer from clay, sand, dirt, and pebbles.

The boys still wake up around 6:00 every day. When the interrupt my scripture time, I make them snuggle on the floor while they wait for me.

This month we had an amazing homeschool activity, where we discussed the book The Secret Garden. My friend Michelle hosted a fabulous activity, with a good discussion, a scavenger hunt, planting mini gardens, and an Indian/British feast.

This was just too funny when Erik got stuck on her barstools.

The three big kids and I went to see a little play downtown, How I Became a Pirate. I think Niels favorite part was the bus ride from the parking lot to the theatre.

And we finally made it to the zoo! We have a pass that gets us into the zoo, aquarium, and botanical gardens, and we finally checked the zoo off the to-see list.

We've been pretty good at keeping up our regular date nights. Paul's work doesn't let it happen every weekend, but we continue to venture out to new restaurants almost every week. We wish we had the Keddingtons close by again so we could order double the food! We still almost always get three desserts though ;)