This past Friday (April 23rd) was my last day of medical school. Unlike the last day of high school, college, and even the last day of M2 year, I had no trace of sadness or nostalgia as I exited the hospital for the last time. Instead, I was grinning from ear to ear, occasionally pausing for a brief "happy dance" on my way back to the car (much to the dismay of the M3 walking with me), and contemplating whether I should burn my short white coat or throw it under a bus. Upon arriving home, I immediately fell into bed for a 2.5 hour nap. Later that night, I celebrated with champagne, baguettes, French cheese, and a French movie with Stephen.
It wasn't until the next morning that it really hit me, though...I finished. I completed the requirements. Assuming I passed the last 2 clerkships, I'm pretty much an M.D.
And I have nothing to do until June 23rd.
What on EARTH am I going to do with myself for two months?!?

Well, this week, I decided to try baking. I got an awesome KitchenAid stand mixer from my mother-in-law, Cathy, for a wedding shower gift, and I decided that I need to use it more often. I also recently purchased an adorable pink apron that orders you to "Kiss the Cook" on the front pocket, and I love wearing it around the house. Even better, I have a brother in seminary and a husband who works with all guys, so I can find plenty of people willing to take the desserts off my hands so I am not tempted to overindulge (though, of course, I will allow myself to savor my fair share of the goods).

Project #1: M&M cookies. I got the recipe from Rachel Kelley, my aunt in Pulaski, TN. I'm still having trouble getting the baking time right on cookies; one batch of these was perfect, but the other was a little overdone. I have those AirBake cookie sheets, and they make the cookies look deceptively underdone ...hmmm... Still, these turned out pretty tasty. I sent a box of them to Trey, and I'll be curious to hear his verdict.


Project #2: (Almost) Fat-Free Cheesecake. Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens Bridal Cookbook. While I have definitely eaten my fair share of cheesecake in my lifetime, I have never actually made one or watched one being made. So this was a little scary! I used Fat free cream cheese, but did use 3 real eggs rather than the egg substitute recommended in the fat-free recipe. I also couldn't get the crust (crushed graham crackers) to stick to the sides of my springform pan, so the crust is only on the bottom. Plus, I didn't really know what the cake was supposed to look like once it came out of the oven...so I think it's a little overdone. But I have yummy strawberries for a topping and a sweet (hungry) husband who will eat the cheesecake as long as it's edible. :)

Other thrilling events of week one of freedom? I bought a cute dress for graduation as well as a Crock-Pot...I got mah hair did and it looks fab...I went to my first church choir practice and even got Stephen to come with me...
Freedom...I'm lovin' it!

I've always needed a creative outlet of some kind. For years, that outlet came in the form of dance--ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, swing, tap, you name it. Planning our wedding last year was fabulous for my creativity, as I took ideas from their conception and carried through to completion on the day of the wedding. I also enjoy taking pictures and scrapbooking, and I am currently contemplating what to do with the 19 photo albums sitting in my living room.

As a child, I also loved to write and illustrate stories, and I even got a poem published in the National Library of Poetry as a fifth-grader. I find writing to be very therapeutic for me. Perhaps I like it because it is a way to channel that creative energy into a meaningful and possibly even logical composition on which I can reflect at a later date...perhaps I like it because the paper (or computer, in this case) can't talk back to me as I spew my thoughts onto it.

Unfortunately, the rigors of med school do not lend themselves well to pursuing outside interests with much zeal or commitment. What little free time I had in school was directed toward my husband (rightly so!!) and, of course, wedding-planning (which was uber-stressful in the 12+ month planning process, though I couldn't be happier with the end result). As a result, I have felt creatively stifled since entering medical school. Sadly, my body lost all conditioning for dance in the meantime, and even my picture-taking enthusiasm seemed to decrease.

This is where the blog steps in. I am resolving to unleash my creativity once again, and writing/blogging is my first step in the process. I'm sure this blog will also serve as a platform to announce exciting news and to vent my frustrations as an intern next year. However, I want to take the everyday occurrences of life and describe them in a way that is refreshing and passionate. I want to find other new outlets of creativity and exercise both sides of my brain once again. I don't think I can promise you much as you read this blog, but I hope I can entertain you once or twice and occasionally prompt you to consider difficult issues in a new light.

If you're still reading, bless your heart.

T-minus 31 days til M.D.