the san francisco treat.

I finally have a few minutes of down time that isn't at three in the morning and thought I'd share a random photo journal of our time in the bay area so far. Bottom line: we've been to San Francisco many times before but this was my first time "living" here for a bit, in a real person's house, out of a tourist-heavy district and I have to say that I'm in love.

I've been so apprehensive at the thought of pursuing a possible match so far away from our cozy home in Arizona that when Christian mentioned to me some months ago that he was interested in spending time in San Francisco to find out more about the program, I was a little scared. I mean, that's getting pretty real actually going out to see the place and to look into it. As far away as the match seems (3 more years!), I know how quickly this past year flew by and I wasn't even going to school yet. However, spending time out here has given me some peace of mind that I could live here (and love it). Now, us liking it here and Christian doing research here really has little to no affect on whether or not we're coming here. As I may or may not have mentioned here before, the match is sort of like witchcraft (not the cool Harry Potter kind) and based on how well he does on his Step 1 exam, how well he interviews at various places, his preferences and the schools' preferences all mixed in with a little chance and luck, the voo doo people will determine our placement. Which is another reason I'm not getting too attached to the idea of San Francisco either. But it's here. And we love it.

Among all our days doing AMAZING stuff with 'our' locals (we claim them), we did a solid tourist-y day at the Pier 39/Fisherman's Warf/Embarcadero.

Eeew...squid. Gross. 

We're staying with our friend Quin who lives in an amazing house in the Mission with four amazing roommates (who are all brilliant and work at little internet companies like Google and Twitter and Scribd...smarties). Quin's roomie Julie is a fantastic cook and made us Sunday morning breakfast (amazing).

Quin, hard at work at Scribd. Being bothered by some crazy guy. 

We spent a day at the SF MOMA and saw some amazing stuff!

These sculptures, called "Lick and Lather" are made of chocolate and soap, with which the
artist licked and bathed herself with (respectively). 

This is a urinal on its side. Yay for modern art!

Warhol! Got to see a bunch of his stuff at the MOMA in NYC, this is his Liz Taylor piece.

This is looking out a window in the museum to a building across the street.
See anything unusual...?

Look closer...   :)

We spent a night bowling and having dinner at Off The Grid at Fort Mason, a giant collection of some of San Fran's best food trucks and live music. It was packed and cold and AWESOME. We had Tikka Masala burritos from Curry Up Now! (best idea ever, by the way), followed by some macaroons and tiramisu cupcakes. Oh my goodness.

Check me out! I amost beat Quin. Warho = Christan....long story.   :)

Quin and his lovely lady, Julie (not to be confused with roomie Julie who is also very lovely). 

The band, rocking it out. It was really packed.

The entrance to one of the hospitals Chris was doing work at (San Francisco General). They're doing construction at the moment, but I think it still makes the hospital looks like Hogwarts.

Took a drive up to Tiburon and found a little private beach. This place is heaven.

We still have three days!!! AHHH! I am enjoying myself so much it's kind of hard to explain. And I'm enjoying not sleeping by myself anymore. This is the good life.

More to come when I can catch a free second. Quin/Julie are cooking us pasta and we're watching Minority Report to get pumped for Defcon (my husband is a future doctor/HUGE nerd). I love me a good conspiracy!

All our love,
Ash & Chris

photo bombed.

FIRST - we're having the most amazing trip. Like, so much fun I'm waiting to get hit by a bus or something. Probably illegal amounts of fun. Visiting anywhere with the locals > visiting as a tourist. I have tons to share but this is my second night in a row going to bed at 2:30 AM so I'm going to put it all on the back burner for tomorrow.

In the meantime, I leave you with a classic Chinatown photo bomb....

He even asked me if it was a good picture afterwards. I showed it to him and he laughed hysterically.


Here's to Saturday.
<3
Ash & Chris

My first body scan.

Good morning! I'm writing you all from Phoenix Sky Harbor, waiting to board a plane to see my Christian. As of today, he's been gone for 31 days. Verdict? It sucks! I'm way done with being apart and can't wait to see him! Although our reunion has been bumped back 55 minutes due to heavy fog in the bay area, he'll be a little less rushed to meet me at the BART station and I have a smile on my face because the countdown has dissolved to hours from weeks and days.


I received my first full body scan today. I knew a lot of airports were making sure everyone gets one now, but the last time I flew out of Phoenix it was only for a select few. I'm still trying to decide how I feel about it. I mean, I'm all for safety and I believe there is a balance that must be struck between liberties and regulations for safety's sake. But I guess I'm not positive how I feel about the TSA dude checking me out in all my glory:

TSA body scanner images. Source.

I do also realize I have the right to refuse to be scanned in exchange for an intimate pat down. Today I opted for the scanner. When I was planning my wedding my favorite blog and most helpful online resource, Offbeat Bride, posted an interesting article about couples who were changing their honeymoon plans to avoid flying because they were opposed to the scans and scanning policies. When we went on our honeymoon in December of last year, Sky Harbor wasn't making everybody get scanned yet. What do you think about the TSA body scanners?

Anywho....I am a self-proclaimed procrastinator and yesterday I had the bug BAD. I wanted to get so much done before leaving and still get good sleep last night and for some reason I wasn't into it. I blame it partially on being without Vies (I left her at my parents' house in Tucson for her own mini vacation) and not having her barking at me and reminding me to get my butt in gear. Ask anyone who knows her and they'll tell you she speaks English. Instead I puttered around, ran an errand at the Teen Outreach office, took 5 hours to do one load of laundry, and watched a lot of Law and Order SVU. So it was little surprise when I awoke this morning, not to my alarm that was set for 4:00 AM allowing for time to finish a bunch of stuff before I left, but at 5:50 AM with my ride calling to tell me she was outside in her car. Thank God I'm low maintenance in the getting ready department. [Note: Hey, Mom? When you get to my house on Sunday would you mind vacuuming? It's the only thing I didn't get to. Thanks, buddy.]

I can't wait to be in San Francisco. I can't wait to see my husband. I can't wait to sleep on the airplane.

Happy Wednesday, all.
XO,
Ashley

i'm hooked.

Get it? Hooked?! The guy makes meth....hooked....like....oh okay, not funny. Thanks, Jeff, for leaving the disks for me and hanging out with me tonight.

Speaking at the huzband's school tomorrow and sharing all of my spouse-ly knowledge. I'm stoked! Wish me luck.

<3
Ash & V

help from my friends.

Everyone knows (especially my poor mom, who I call whenever I'm feeling crappy about it) that it's been kind of rough being by myself up here with Christian in San Francisco. It's been really nice to be able to road trip down to Tucson whenever I'm feeling blue for some quality family/friends time, but sometimes it's nice to be at home for an extended period of time.

I'm unbelievably lucky to have had many amazing friends in high school. Crazy enough, I am lucky enough to still have [most of] them in my life! 

Oldie! (AHHH SKINNY ME!)

Disney! (College)

Everyone at our wedding!!!

A handful of said friends decided to drive through ANOTHER STINKING DUST STORM (what gives, Phoenix?) to spend to evening with little old me (and Viessey). Robert worked today until 3:30 PM and both he and Nick had work early tomorrow morning yet they still made the 2 hour trek to hang out. Gosh, I love them. And Viesa REALLY loves them, every time they're here. 

Viessey and Nick

Viesa, Nick, and Nick's girlfriend Julie :)

I am so thankful for old friends and I'm thankful that they know how to raise my spirits. I love you guys.

Happy Monday. I know mine sure was. :)

XO,

Ash & Vies

My parents aren't old enough....

...to have been married 25 years, right?! The answer is probably yes (they married and had their best first child quite young). Having experienced marriage myself for a super-substantial seven whole months, I can only imagine the challenges that arose being married with a baby at twenty years old. With that being said, I know that my parents have spent the past 25 years choosing each other and choosing to treat their marriage as something important to them both. They still love each other a lot (and almost more importantly, they like each other too!). I can truly say how grateful I am that this is my reality as an adult child, to still enjoy my parents together and very much in love.

 I can't wait to (slowly...gosh I hope the years go slow so I can savor every one as long as possible) create a life with my husband over the next 25 years and still be smiling on the other side like these two.

July 12th, 1986

My dad also has issues with face in photos...you should see us in photos together. Sheesh.

The ENTIRE family crew. Not too shabby for 25 years worth of work, right? 

Way to go, Mom and Dad. Here's to 50 more!

Hope everyone enjoys their Monday.
(NINE days until I get to go see Christian! We're in the single digits, people!!!)

XO,
Ash & Vies

in one word: perfect.

And, true to form, I cried pretty much the entire movie. I did my best to stifle the audible whimpers and sniffles (and I certainly wasn't the only one).

FYI - not my wand or my glasses...borrowed props...I promise....

I had the good fortune of bumping into Anne and Heather from the Tucson Teen Outreach office! We were
line buddies and had such a great time together. Teen Outreach loves HP!!

We had a fantastic time. A few more days in Tucson, then back to Phoenix for the last week before my San Francisco trip! Woooo!

Happy Friday!

XO,
Ash + Viessey

Nox. [warning: nerd alert]

Tonight marks the "end" of an era, the end of something that has brought me so much joy over the past 10 years, the end of Harry Potter. I say "end" because I know it's not going anywhere (thank goodness), but it is the end of the newness of the adventure and seeing the adventure brought to life on film. When I finished the last book for the first time, I felt a sense of grief that was only held at bay by the knowledge that I could still watch it all unfold on the big screen. Now that this too is coming to a close, I don't really know what to say. I feel so many things; sadness, yes, but more predominantly, gratitude.

Thank you, Harry Potter, for opening up my mind and imagination in ways no other book had before.

Thank you for containing characters who are real and human, thank you for allowing me to fall in love with them and watch them grow up alongside me.

Thank you for teaching me about life and fear and goodness and love and giving me such a rich and enjoyable way to reinforce these things in my own children someday.

Thank you for always being there, a familiar friend, from the very first time to the tenth time around.

And to those of you who scoff at us for such a connection to something that "isn't real"?

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"  

This clip made me tear up and probably reflects the way most readers feel as well:


I hope everyone truly enjoys themselves tonight. And remember, like I'll be trying to as the tears are coming while the credits play, the words of our favorite headmaster:

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." 

Happy watching, my fellow Potter fans.

Love,
Ash & V

BREAK$

After a nice few days in Tucson that involved some Words With Friends in real life - AKA Scrabble - (which is much better for me as I'm the only person in the family, if not in the county, that doesn't have an iPhone or iPod touch), we made the drive back this morning for my afternoon staff meeting. Only when I pulled up in front of my house, I heard a horrible squeaking/squealing noise as I put on the breaks. Uhhh, yikes. That is the one of the worst sounds known to mankind. It sounds like big time dollar signs (if dollar signs had a sound). So I had to call into work and phone into my meeting (which is a solid 15 miles/30 minutes away). I'm too scared to ruin this car that, due to our impending mountain of medical school + midwifery school debt, has to last us the next 100 years. Or until we have too many kids and/or Shibas to fit the five-seater. Appointment in the morning...pray to the brake gods the damage is minimal....

Speaking of Shibas...I SWEAR they are the only dogs that I've seen that all, across the breed, sleep in the weirdest and most twisted positions. Any Shiba owner I've ever met has said theirs do the same thing.

What a goober.

I'm hoping for a better Tuesday. Then HP on Thursday! EEEE.

<3
Ash & V

P.S. I may or may not have just found Viesa's Halloween costume:

who has two thumbs and needs a serious hair cut?

This gal.

Visit the Photocabine for some old-school photobooth fun. Keep an eye out for a few strips of Viesa. I think this + Scrabble is how I'll spend my Saturday night.

<3
Ash + Viesa

God bless the internet.

It's so much easier to be apart when we can rock these on the daily:

(Don't mind the crazy eyes. Again...not capable of normal faces...)

I caved after bummer summer Thursday and drove down to Tucson for the weekend after I finished a home visit for one of my teens. I always feel like the drive is sooo long and irritating (only 2 hours, me = baby) but once I'm here I realize after five minutes that it's so totally worth it. Plus, Vies is always SO happy to be here surrounded by petting hands people.  

In an unexpected twist of fate and spur-of-the-moment decision making (a girl after my own heart), one of Christian's classmates, Jenn, signed a lease today for a house across the street! Yay! For the first time ever, not only will I really know one of my neighbors, but we are pals that happen to be friends with the same people! I'm hoping this means the amount of socializing next year will increase tenfold (at least before we get close to Step 1). So excited!!! Welcome to Woodland Historic, Miss Jenn. :)

Vies and I are off to enjoy a monsoon evening in Tucson (hoping for some serious rain while we're down here!!!). Enjoy your Friday night!

Love,

Ash & Vies

bummer summer blues.

So today we kind of had a bummer summer day. I guess I just miss Christian a lot and am frankly a little bored. :/ I guess I never realized just how entertaining he is! We spent the morning like this:

And the evening like this:

Cannot for the life of me get her to close her legs for photos.  Sheesh.

 I think it was just one of those days. I called my mom and she made it better. Like moms always do. I'm looking forward to a busy next few weeks, highlighted by THIS:

AHHHHHH! It will be the end of one of my very favorite things. I'm STOKED/already beginning to mourn. Get excited!

In other news - In the weeks following our move to Phoenix for medical school (over a year ago!), we attended a dinner/Q&A panel put together by the school for support people of medical students. The panel was made up of husbands/wives/girlfriends/boyfriends/partners of medical students to address the incoming first years' family members about the medical school experience from their point of view. It seems like it was yesterday I was staring down at my pasta and wondering what we were getting ourselves into. Well, the school got in touch with us and asked us to speak this year to the incoming MS1s! Christian is obviously away, but I jumped at the chance to give a few slices of wisdom to the support people for the next class of students. I feel like we've both learned so much about ourselves and each other over this past year. I've also found a lot of great resources and support in reading the experiences of other folks (like Daci, med-spouse and rockin' blogger over at Just Dandy). I'm hoping that between my experiences and what I've learned from others, I can help ease some of the same butterflies I was feeling when I was in their shoes.

This means school is just around the corner...for both of us this time!!! I'm thrilled. A post of my nasty book list and already-assigned work (yikes) is coming your way soon.

Here's to a better day tomorrow!
XXXOOO,
Ash & V