Residency

Stephen started his orthopedic residency on June 21. For the first year he does a general surgery year. Each month is spent on a different rotation. He started on trauma, then on to vascular surgery, and is now doing ortho. Next month will be plastic surgery. So far he is learning a lot and really enjoying it. The hours are a little rough but we are doing great. When you don’t have a ton of time together, what you do have is precious and you make the most of it. I am so proud of him and I am thankful that we get to do this journey together.

There are four residents for each year and five years in the program. Stephen’s co-residents are Justin, Jake, and Julia. Justin and Leslie came from Kansas City and have two little girls: Liviella and Rivleigh Rose. Jake and Carly are from Georgia and just had a baby girl named Louise. Julia is from California and is married to one of the general surgery residents, Dave. They are all really nice and we are super excited to get to know them better. 

From left to right: Stephen, Julia, Justin, and Jake

Moving Week

On our third anniversary, June 15, we spent our last night in the condo. Our wonderful small group came over with pizza to help pack up the Penske and say goodbye. It was definitely an anniversary we will never forget: sitting in an empty apartment with friends eating pizza and doing hard labor. : ) We had a great time though. The guys even invented a new game with a tennis ball and some random cleaning supplies. I don’t remember exactly how it went, just that Brad was awesome at it, lol. We are so thankful for this group of friends and we already miss them like crazy.

My parents came over the night before to help pack up our house. I had no idea how much stuff we had and how long it would take to box up. There is no way we would have been ready to load the truck if they hadn’t helped. I’m tempted to go ahead and start saving up to hire people to do it when we move again in five years.

Stephen really enjoyed driving the Penske. They didn’t have our truck yet so they gave us the biggest one they make. After seeing it with the Jeep being pulled behind I was terrified, but Stephen did great. Bella rode with him in the front seat and she loved it.

When we arrived in Greenville Stephen’s parents, his brother Matt, and cousins Jonathan and Austin came over to help unload the truck.  They did a great job and everything went pretty quick. My desk did get dropped down the stairs but Stephen was able to screw it all back together. We are so blessed to have such great friends and family. They really made the transition so much easier.