It's Been Awhile

Time flies when you're having fun. It also flies when you're crazy busy.

Alyssa and I have been very busy since school started back up again all the way back in August. Alyssa has been buried in clinic hours, papers, and other coursework while I've been buried in coursework and working at Rite Aid.

There are only a few weeks left till yet another semester is wrapped up and we are both ever so much closer to graduation.

After this school year ends, both Alyssa and I will be done with class work and will be heading out on our rotations. Alyssa and her fellow optometry classmates just finished choosing/battling for their future rotation sites.

Alyssa ended up getting placed here in Big Rapids at MCO for her first 3 month rotation. She also has 3 month rotations at Jackson State Prison and at Grand Rapids VA. She was bummed that she couldn't get all her rotations in Grand Rapids so we wouldn't have to move every 3 months, but she ended up with 3 very good rotation sites/opportunities.

As for myself, I have to take 6 six week rotations this coming year. I just sent my preferences in and am hoping that I can get placed in the same city as Alyssa or at least within driving distance so we won't have to live apart from each other. I will update on here when I hear back from the College of Pharmacy as to where I'll be going on rotation.

Well that's enough talking about school. Stafford, our pup, is just about full grown and has turned out to be a very good dog. He is incredibly spoiled, he even gets to sleep on the bed every once in a while.

Overall, I would say that we are doing very well and are feeling like a big happy family.

Summertime

Well, summer is here. Alyssa had one week of freedom before classes started back up for the summer so we decided to take advantage of the free time by taking a trip to the ballpark. We headed south the Fifth Third Ballpark to watch the West Michigan Whitecaps. It was the first perfect day of the summer, sun in the sky and no clouds. We actually managed to get a little sunburned.

We got first row seats right next to the home side dugout. We were so close to the action that an errant throw to 1st base almost landed right in our laps. We got to munch on ballpark food and even shared a massive Fifth Third Burger. If you've never heard of it, you should google it, it is a massive burger.

We enjoyed the game. It was a perfect getaway during our week off.

Getting Back To Blogging

Wow, time really does fly by. Alyssa and I have both been busy with school and work and I have completely neglected this blog. Well, I'll just catch up on everything really quick.

We got back from Jamaica around 2 am Christmas morning. We were exhausted so we slept in late.  Alyssa made cinnamon rolls and then we opened up gifts.  We had a laid back day and it was perfect.  Over the next week we were able to go see both of our families and enjoy the holidays with them as well.

Yummy Cinnamon Rolls

Alyssa and Bert the Farting Hippo from NCIS

My Michigan shirt and new work gloves

The next big event after Christmas was Alyssa's White Coat ceremony. The optometry students receive their white coats just before they start seeing patients in the clinic, so this ceremony is just a celebration for the students before they dive into the next part of the schooling.  Alyssa's parents and her brother were able to come down to celebrate with her.  It was a nice ceremony and I would have to say, Alyssa looks very good in her white coat.

MCO Class of 2014

Alyssa with her proud family

The next part of our life was somewhat unexpected. We went down to Holly, MI to watch Easton (Alyssa's little brother) except his blackbelt in Tang Soo Do (sorry if the spelling is wrong).  It was a lot of fun and he did a great job.  On our way home to Big Rapids we stopped at the mall in Flint, MI to get Alyssa's wedding ring checked up and polished. We decided to check out The Family Puppy. We had been looking for an Australian Shepherd but knew that we couldn't have a full size dog in our apartment. To our surprise, there was a Mini Australian Shepherd in one of the kennels. As soon as Alyssa saw him her heart just melted and I knew that we were going to take him home. After filling out the paperwork, we were on the road with the newest member to our family. Alyssa let me name hime, so I named him Stafford, after Detroit Lions quarterback Matt Stafford. I know, it's a dorky reason to name him that, but it was the only name I came up with that Alyssa liked.

Alyssa and Stafford watching TV the next morning after bringing him home.

He looked like a little Gremlin when he was a puppy

First Family Photo (I don't think Staff wanted his picture taken)

Well, he has grown up pretty quick. He knows a bunch of tricks and is a pretty good dog, even though we have a lot to teach him still.

He doesn't look like a puppy anymore, but he's still cute.



Look at these two cuties.

Well, that about wraps up everything since Christmas. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with this blog now that school is winding down for the semester.