This past week

Well today Alan has his final renal exam. He's been busy studying for his test all week and Ly has been super busy with the stocking drive, other quilting projects, tutoring and of course studying for the GRE. This hasn't left much time for them to hang out but they fully intend on spending some quality time together this weekend.

Ly and Alan's busyness has left the Pandas, Honk, Piou and the Cold to watch movies unattended in bed all week.

Their brains are going to turn to mush.

Study. Study. Study.

Alan has a test in the morning and he's been studying for what seems like days. At least he is enjoying his comfy new chair.

Jump for Joy!

Alan has officially finished his first year of medical school. One year down...only ten more to go.

Highlights of M1 year included:

+ making some great new friends

+ observing a lot of "awesome" (and long) surgeries

+ doing research with a plastic surgeon

+ learning a LOT about the human body

+ getting accepted into VCU's Masters of Health Administration program, thereby delaying graduation by a year

+ alan's first ever spring break

Bring on the next year!

Catch up.

Or otherwise entitled "recent happenings of the Lee household"

Ly's 26th Birthday. Since Alan has been rather busy these days with his new hobby called Med School he extended Ly's birthday to a birthWEEK. Each day they did a small bit of celebrating - whether it was going to lunch, shopping, trying dinner at a new place (DeLuxe where Ly had lobster mac 'n cheese), catching a movie, bowling, or even grabbing dessert. Alan bought Ly a new tripod which was exactly what she asked for, a subscription to a cooking magazine, swim lessons (which have yet to be scheduled), some new clothes and Ly got her hair done (red highlights, so fun!) Ly's family and friends called to remind her how old she was (as if she needed the reminding) and show their love. All in all, it was an awesome birthday.

Anatomy. Alan aced his first two med school classes and is now onto anatomy. He spends lots of time in the lab and has learned lots of muscles, veins, ligaments, bones and such. Ly is getting used to him being busy all the time but it'll all be worth it in the end. She is not, however, used to the human bones currently sitting in a box in her living room. Apparently Alan uses them to study.

Mentoring. As many of you know Alan is very interested in surgery...plastic surgery to be exact. This is not to be confused with cosmetic surgery (aka boob jobs) because apparently there are two types of plastics surgeons. Plastic surgeons fix people who have their skulls crushed in, their fingers grown together, holes in various parts of their bodies, etc. It's all rather disgusting. And by disgusting, of course we mean awesome. Anyway Alan has recently teamed up with a doctor who specializes in facial reconstructions and she's become his mentor. He gets to watch her operate whenever he wants and is also working on a clinical research project with her. So if you ever find yourself thinking "gee I really need to hear an operating room tale" feel free to call Alan because he loves to tell (in detail) all about his OR experiences.

Fall Getaway. A few weekends ago Ly+Alan and a few of their friends from VCU drove out to the mountains for a relaxing weekend getaway. It was perfect fall weather - they went hiking, saw some animals, played games, went apple picking, and enjoyed some home cooked meals. It was a much needed break from the hectic med school life.

Sickness. It's that time of the year again - the time when the weather gets a little colder, the days get shorter and Ly inevitably gets sick. Luckily, after lots of rest, homemade chicken noodle soup and lots of water Ly beat her sickness...and passed it onto Alan.

What have you been up to recently?

1 week down, only 207 to go

Well after paying what seems to be millions of dollars and committing himself to years of schooling, Alan finally finished his first week of medical school on Friday. Apparently when the guy at orientation warned the class that attending medical school would be like drinking out of a fire hose, he wasn't exaggerating. Thankfully, Alan seems to have a good study schedule worked out - class 8-2:30 (sometimes only noon, but it depends on the day), study 'til 6 and then dinner, gym, and then more studying 'til 10:30 and then it's off to bed so he can get up and do it all over again the next day. Ly loves the weekends because instead of class Alan spends a few hours with her during the morning before he returns to his studying ways. Such is the life of a med student. Alan's first test is Friday in both his biochem and pop med classes...so wish him luck, not that he'll need it cuz Ly knows her husband is going to be an awesome doctor - eventually.

Alan's first day of Med School.

VCU Rams!

Well folks, the waiting is finally over. This evening Alan got an email announcing his acceptance into the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine's Class of 2014. School starts in the fall and Alan couldn't be more excited....he'll finally get to be a doctor, help people and do all sorts of doctor-y things. Lyanna is excited because Alan can now relax about getting into medical school and now he will be rich and famous and take her to China to see the pandas.

She is still waiting for that puppy.

Medical School Interviews

As everyone knows Alan is currently in the process of applying to medical school -- it is certainly an arduous process. But today Alan has his first medical school interview, which he is sure to rock. It is very exciting to say the least -- and the first of many more to come!

So yay for being one step closer to medical school =)

Per your request

Sorry for the lack of updates. I sat here for a few minutes trying to think of some sort of excuse (we were abducted by aliens...uh we went on worldwide cruise...uh Ly finally got a pet panda) that would adequately explain the significant lack of posts. Needless to say I couldn't think of anything so sorry will have to suffice.

Anyway. Here are some highlights of the past days (weeks? months?) since we've last posted.

1. Ly and Alan moved to an awesome new place that is across the street from the bookstore. It is also bigger, nicer, and cheaper. Ly loves the new place - and the fact that in the month or so of living here she has recently acquired at least a dozen new books and 3 new bookshelves.

2. Most of Ly's books are now safely out of their boxes and in the above mentioned new bookshelves leaving no room for any new books - a thought that encouraged the purchase of the shelves in the hopes that the amount of book purchases would significantly decline. However, Alan discovers new books on a weekly basis anyway. (Hello, hasn't the girl ever heard of a library?)

3. Ly and Alan recently discovered the awesomeness that is goodwill. We go on a weekly basis in search of old furniture to restore (a new hobby of Alan's), yet more often than not come home with 3 books - and no furniture.

4. Ly recently learned the wonders of spray paint and now likes to find various items to spray paint - picture frames, pedestals, candlestick holders, people, etc. This proves to be quite the messy adventure.

5. Alan has completed a million (maybe not a million but at least over a dozen) secondary applications for medical school. Now that we have paid all the schools even more money, we get to wait for them to ask us to fly across the country to interview...well that or reject Alan. But I'm sure it will be the former rather than the latter. Can someone invent a time machine and let it be May already?

6. We celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary in July with a surprise trip to NYC. Does that mean we're no longer newlyweds?

7. Alan has managed to convince Ly that camping can be enjoyable, especially when you have a tent that keeps rain, bugs, and sand outside where they belong. The air mattress probably helps too.

8. Ly has spent a lot of time on her photography recently, and she would love to take some pictures of people for her portfolio. Any takers?

9. Alan and Ly attended numerous back to school sales (did we mention that the new place is also close to Target?) and only purchased 1 box of crayola crayons for a quarter. While she wanted to buy more than one box (obviously) she resisted. Alan danced for joy.

10. And of course, the most important news in our family is that the panda at the San Diego Zoo gave birth to a baby boy about a month ago. Ly (and Alan too) watches the live 24-hour video feed of the panda for hours at a time. He is adorable. Go see for yourself.