mondays...boy i hate mondays...they make me-e so steamed...

JUST KIDDING (check that super-famous song about Mondays by Satan...I mean, Will Ferrell). Well, usually Mondays suck but this one was about as great as they get. Today was my very first day at Abrazo. Nothing earth-shattering (just corporate orientation) but it was so nice to get going on something new after so many months of stagnation. Gross. Plus, I sat at the cool table with all the cool new grads. I mean, where else would I sit? After orientation (which got out early WHICH ROCKS) I had to go back to occupational health to get another TB skin test. :/ Gross x2. Some big dummy forgot to go back the day she was assigned to get it read. Oops. I have to go back now on Thursday. If you talk to me before Thursdsay, please remind to go get it read (after 3PM)...please and thank you.

My dude's handiwork.

Then, I came home to my schweet sheebey puppy (baby talk for Shiba...I know...) and my schweet good-looking husband. I have to say, this is why Mondays (and this Monday in particular) rock. Actually, this is why pretty much every day rocks. :) Chris cooked me a delicious sausage/cheese/veggie/potato dish for dinner and it was fantastic. So cheesy. We sat down and chatted about orientation and what he did in class (um...held in his hand and studied infant hearts with congenital heart defects....med school is boss). I think I am going to cook something this week. I cooked dinner TWICE (count it, TWICE) this past week. Wait...Okay...now that I count it myself I may be realizing I only cooked one and a half times as I just put the chicken in the crock-pot for the amazing tacos we had friday night (and that is where my contribution ended). But I did make low-cal cheesy potato soup that was awesome (so says my husband and he's no liar) and it lasted a few days for lunches. We have a pretty sweet deal of delicious meals in exchange for clean dishes and I don't mind being on the dishes end of that situation most of the time. Did I mention it's fun to watch the cook do his thing? Especially because he's really-ridiculously-good-looking?

Only daredevils cook with no shirt on.

After food we decided to tackle the unholy mound of clean laundry that prevented anyone from sitting on our already tiny couch. This includes poor Viesey who had to nap on her perch instead of snuggled up with mom/dad on the couch. Yes, I am too embarrased to post a photo of said mound, but I can say it is GONE! Although I realized we need to severely thin out that closet (and by we I mean me) ASAP.

Girlfriend is irritated that her spot is taken by laundry.

In conclusion (always a great way to wrap things up in my opinion) I'm just about ready for bed. Tomorrow is day two with hospital-specific orientation, which I'm excited for. I'm ready to get a good look at my home for the next whoknowshowlong. Chris will probs stay up a bit longer and study. Right now our super cool/super-smart-with-bikes neighbor is helping him with a tune up (I don't know how one tunes up a bike).




Until next time, America.
Ash + Vies


P.S. We are also nursing a serious addiction to the Royal Crown. God help us.

Like crack. 

family love.

Kyle's birthday is coming so Megan decided to treat him with tickets to the Suns v. Celtics game on Saturday night. Chris and I have been meaning to check out a game (since we live right down the way!) so we decided to see if we could score a deal on Craigslist. We did and we had a great time! We had Meg, Kyle, and some of their friends over for soft tacos and then we headed off to United Airways Arena (or Planet Orange, as they call it).

[almost] birthday boy.

hooray for craigslist tickets!

Suns win (hooray!), Meg and Ky and the gang were bummed, Megan tried to fight a guy and I threatened to NOT bail her out of jail. We came back to the house and hung out and snuggled Viesa until bed.

Today was Fashion Square. Tonight is dinner at Bloom, Kyle's choice! Looks AWESOME. Megan and Kyle might be some of our fave out-of-towners. And we love birthdays, soooo....yeah! 

Woo Hoo!

Ash

how on earth do you sleep like this...?

one of the many questions we wish you could answer for us.

another chapter.

How cliché, right? Well, regardless...that is where we are. I have finally come to the end of a ridiculous 8 month long job search. This will be my new home until further notice:

Maryvale hospital, about 7 miles from the house, has offered me a job as part of the Abrazo Health Care new graduate program in the Intensive Care Unit.  I'll train for 12 weeks until I begin taking on some patients of my own and will be precepted until I feel comfortable! Anywhere from an extra month or two to six months. I love this cushion of comfort they're giving us...such a necessity when you're a new grad! Some of you may be realizing that ICU is not quite the direction I hoped to go with my nursing career, but I am so thankful for the learning opportunity I've been presented with and cannot WAIT to master the ICU! What better foundation to build a diverse nursing career on? Then someday, I'll be here and it will be perfect. It's only a matter of time. :)

Of course I have to say thank you to everyone who has been so incredibly supportive of both me and Christian the past 8 months. From graduation, Christian's master's defense, engagement, moving to a new city, planning a wedding, and having said wedding, I know I personally have been an emotional wreck and probably not the best friend/sister/daughter/fianceé/wife that I could or should have been. But through all of this, you all never stopped supporting us or picking me up after every rejection and set back. Your confidence in me is relentless and humbling and I am so grateful to have you in my life.

But above all people and all things, I have to say (while trying not to make you all puke) how my partner made it possible for me to stay sane during all of this; how he was there for me at every step and every turn, encouraging me, cursing the new grad climate with me, laughing with me, crying with me, and ultimately pushing me to not give up despite the OBVIOUS obstacles and their obvious affinity for beating me down! I learned to delete rejection emails instead of holding onto them, cry and kick and scream when I was upset and then move on, and most of all I learned to count my blessings every day and realize that no matter how sorry I felt for myself, there was someone out there dealing with something harder. Counting your blessings helps every time. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I can't wait to be the MASTER OF NURSING (which ICU will inevitably prepare me to be). 

Love from Phoenix (and doggy kisses. and doctor kisses.)

Ash

I know I need to post our honeymoon blogs.....

.....but I haven't had a chance. Maybe today after work? :)

However, I leave you with our newest addition, Viesa. I think she's getting comfortable with us, don't you?

Love and doggy kisses from Phoenix,
Ash

WE'RE MARRIED!!!!

On December 18th, we had an AMAZING wedding that we will never forget. We can't wait to share all the photos and details with you very very soon.

We just got back from our honeymoon about 4 hours ago and, believe it or not, it feels so good to be home!  Again, photos galore and.....just for you wonderful folks.....we blogged the entire honeymoon for you! We wanted you guys to share the fantastic-ness with us, as many of your wonderful gifts allowed some of the best parts of our trip to become a reality! Once I get the photos organized (just a day or two, I promise) I'll have it up. All 13 days of it!

Here's a sneak peek of what our photographer has done so far! Incredible! And Happy New Year!!!!!!!!