Becoming a host family!
As an MD/PhD student, life is about transitions. We begin the program with research months trying to stay analytical... then we move right into anatomy and test our abilities at route memorization. After anatomy, it's two years of basic sciences and organ systems, with summer research rotations. Follow this with USMLE Step 1 (our first step of the boards) - and off to research land for 3 to 4 years. We often switch and transition from one person and one mode of thinking/learning to another. It can be a challenge, but also has its perks.
In graduate school we welcomed our first son - who's now 2.5 years old! Crazy! It was tough to manage getting him to daycare and school while a full time student myself, but grad school affords you flexibility. I was able to do a lot of work on nights and weekends, which allowed me to juggle the demands of motherhood. Soon this flexibility would be no more. I am unfortunately done making my own schedule for the next few years as I return to clinical medicine.
Happy Birthday! A welcome and birthday party!
This reality meant that Paul and I were going to have to get extremely creative with our childcare situation. I wasn't going to have any say over my hours as a medical student - and I wasn't about to be the only person on the team who had to ask for exceptions to leave early, and there are no sick days as a med student. My MS3 schedule was going to be unpredictable, changing from month to month and rotation to rotation. Paul's schedule was no better as an attending, and often works 24 hour in-house call shifts, and with a clinical schedule like his, he cannot simply leave the OR if a childcare emergency arises. Sick days for our little guys would be frankly impossible to manage without family in the area. Additionally, our friends who we rely on heavily for help are also full time medical folks who deal with the same challenges we face. Paul and I love our professions and work, but it means that we needed to stretch our creativity to find solutions when I went back to medical school full time.
Time at Lake Eva on the Pontoon!
In the end - we decided on a new family adventure and started the process to become a host family to an au pair! With the move into our house we were able to turn our converted attic into a nice cozy space for our future au pair! I had the chance to decorate it and make it a cozy spot for our new family member. We then went online through an agency and interviewed a few lovely candidates. In the end - I decided quickly with a gut reaction and we asked Lovis to join us for the year! She agreed - and the rest is history! She joined our home in July and we've been so fortunate to have her as a family member. Oh - and of course Drew absolutely adores her!!
The best picture of Drew from our Maternity session! Haha! Look at how gorgeous!
Life is all about moments, friendships, and sharing time with those close to you! I'm so thrilled we made the decision to become a host family, and we're looking forward to a wonderful year ahead!