I am skipping (for now) my easter holiday to Tofo in Mozambique. Unfortunately when my hard drive died I lost some of those pictures so I am waiting to get them back. In the meantime, I am going to continue my trend for the past week of posting like a mad woman to try to get caught up. I will come back to Tofo because the trip was amazing.
In April, I was lucky enough to get to have another visit home. I had initially planned not to come home until I left Swaziland, but when my family left over Christmas I realized that might be too long. There was no theme song to this vacation as the music on the radio was crap, but the visit was still great.
It started in North Carolina. Immediately after landing I headed straight to Sunrise biscuit for my old stand-by a chicken biscuit...every bit as greasy and delicious as I remember. Later that night, the crew got together for Mexican. Saturday after some shopping and sushi with Jen, everyone gathered at Alounthith and Vinay's for a barbecue. As always the spread for the barbecue was ridiculous. My only request was Alounthith's buffalo wings and yet I got so much more! 
I was lucky enough to pick a weekend where Jen was up from Atlanta, Gretchen and Aubrey came from Pinehurst, and Laura, Sachin and Kathryn were all in town from Baltimore so we were able to get a really good part of our residency crew all together. Working together over 80 hours week with the intense situations you face during residency really builds a unique friendship. Even though I had not seen Julie or Kathryn since finishing it was like it was just yesterday. I remember signing out to Kathryn after a really bad day (an end to a really bad week) in the adult intensive care unit when I just completely broke down. I will never forget the reassurance and support she gave me. I am not sure I would have come back the next day if it were not for her. So for any of you in medicine, still yet to pick a residency program, go with the program where you like the people because they will be your sanity!
I also loved getting to catch up with my little Nalin while in NC. He has grown into such a little boy now, running and talking!
Why does every boy do this when I try to kiss them though? I thought maybe if I got to them at an earlier age, but no.
I was lucky enough to pick a weekend where Jen was up from Atlanta, Gretchen and Aubrey came from Pinehurst, and Laura, Sachin and Kathryn were all in town from Baltimore so we were able to get a really good part of our residency crew all together. Working together over 80 hours week with the intense situations you face during residency really builds a unique friendship. Even though I had not seen Julie or Kathryn since finishing it was like it was just yesterday. I remember signing out to Kathryn after a really bad day (an end to a really bad week) in the adult intensive care unit when I just completely broke down. I will never forget the reassurance and support she gave me. I am not sure I would have come back the next day if it were not for her. So for any of you in medicine, still yet to pick a residency program, go with the program where you like the people because they will be your sanity!I also loved getting to catch up with my little Nalin while in NC. He has grown into such a little boy now, running and talking!Why does every boy do this when I try to kiss them though? I thought maybe if I got to them at an earlier age, but no.
Sunday morning, Laura, Sachin and I had a relaxing brunch at Fosters in Durham. We sat out on the porch reading the Sunday New York Times until Laura and I started to get a sunburn. It was here talking with Laura and Sachin that NYC moved to the top of my list followed by Boston. Now if only the job could fall into place. I have never had to go job hunting before. I do not think I am a fan...and I haven't even started yet.
Monday I left NC to head back to Kansas. I got some good bonding time with the folks. Met the newest addition of the Naylor family while getting to enjoy dinner and beer at one of our old med school haunts in Kansas City. Spent an exciting day in Ames, Iowa with my girls. Attended the KU spring football game with my dad, who somehow managed to weasel himself out of all the pictures.
My last weekend in town, my aunt Peg drove down Thursday night and my aunt Nance rode the train in Friday night. Then Shelby and Patrick joined us Saturday afternoon. That night my dad grilled pork and some superb side dishes. The seven us of spent all evening around the dining room table laughing. We then watched a bit of saturday night live before parting ways (some to bed, some to the bar...I will let you guess who went where). I was thinking on the way back to Swaziland how lucky I am not only that I am so close to my extended family but also that they know so many of my good friends. 
And Shelby, well, what can I say? There has never been anyone that gives me more shit or makes me laugh harder than Shelby. He is one of those friends that knows all of my flaws, will call me out on them and yet love me for them. You don't find them too often. Amazingly I have somehow managed to surround myself with a number of such people. I owe you all! 
Be back soon!
1 comment:
The pictures were of all the beautiful people!!
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