Is it too late to say "I told you so?"

Remember this post with the new "chew-resistant" bed Chris bought for Brooks?

We left it it the living room for a few weeks so Brooks could get used to it.

He likes liked it. I have a picture from my iPhone:

We decided to leave him in the crate for a little while, and figured he would be fine, he likes liked the new bed, remember?

Here is what happened after about and hour alone in the crate with the new bed.

Sometimes, puppy-mommas know best.

P.S. I told you so.

Four Years

Happy fourth anniversary, Dr. Hubby.

I hope we have at least a hundred more.

I love you.

~Manda

these are the good ol' days

house

sea oats

Dolphins

Shells

I love this pup. And he LOVES the beach.

I love this guy. He's my favorite.

Silly Boys

I have no idea what they were looking at.

I'm proud of my weight loss, but you didn't think I would post a full bikini shot, did you?

No oil here!

Us

Family Shot

we'll see about that...

Chris saw this "chew resistant" pet bed at Sam's Saturday night and decided that Brooks needed it for his tiger cage crate. The material feels like a waterproof snowsuit, which is much different than Brooks' normal bed of fleece and memory foam. When he steps on the new bed, it puffs up on one side and he is convinced that there is a monster inside. It is hilarious. I am pretty sure he hates the new bed and I am certain he will shred it to bits the same day we put it in the crate. We have tried fleece blankets and beach towels and crate mats but nothing survives the wrath of Brooksie. One time he even got a tarp from UNDER his crate while he was IN the crate (???) and shredded it. I wish we had the camera set up that day, like we did here. We used to keep a water bottle on the crate door but he refused to drink out of it and he eventually broke them all. Chris says we should leave the new bed in the living room for a few days to let Brooks take ownership of it and then he won't shred it when we put it in the crate. I am pretty sure all of this will just make a huge mess for me to clean up, but at least I will get a few good blog posts out of this. Stay tuned to see how chew resistant this pet bed really is...

distractions, updates, and Christmas pics

Well, I knew January was going to be a hard month for me emotionally, but I didn't really think it would be this hard. When will I ever realize that I must grieve? Anyway, today has been one year since my mom called me to come back to Little Rock because she was getting sick after her second stem cell transplant. I woke up on this day, and planned on having a good day. My dear friend Megan and her sweet family were going to come over the next day and we were on the phone when my mom called me. It was the last phone call I ever got from her. I am still so thankful that I was able to help as much as I could, even though I will never stop wishing the outcome was different...Enough about all that. I need a distraction, and I'm sure y'all are growing weary of my depressing posts.

I have been working and working and working. My part-time job is about 37 hours a week. Which is pretty much full-time, I think. Chris started his surgical rotation Monday. I am excited for him because being able to be in the OR makes him happy. It makes the last two and half years of madness seem not so bad. Also for the month of January, we have a house guest. Chris's friend Paul (who is a year ahead of Chris in med school) is also doing a surgical rotation in Tuscaloosa, so he is staying with us. I have been making hot chocolate and/or cider every night because of the cold weather. Speaking of cold, Paul will be traveling to the great land of Minnesota for his Mayo residency interview next week. He is going to make pictures for me. I can't wait to hear what he has to say about it. Ideally, Paul and Chris will both end up at Mayo, because it really is the best program in the nation. It would also be great to know someone when we move. What else is going on? Hmm, I am taking down Christmas decor today. I was off last weekend (my first weekend off since October) and I refused to do it then. Last week I bought one of those balance ball things at Dirt Cheap for $9. We also got a new PUR water filter for our sink (our other one broke) for $7. I love Dirt Cheap! I guess it's not for everyone though. I am working hard on toning up. I want to be able to buy a cute bikini and feel confident in it this summer. Yay for goals!

Of course I am not going to post an update and not talk about my dog child. He is spectacular, getting better with age. Brooks gets smarter every day. He brings his dish to the door when he's ready to eat (we keep the dog food in the garage), he fetches his leash when it's time to take a trip or go for a jog, and the newest thing I have taught him is to bring me laundry that I drop on my way to the laundry room. I love that dog! He always comes and nudges my leg if my phone rings or the oven timer beeps and I am in a different room. I didn't teach him those things, and I think he just gets annoyed with all the beeping/ringing.

Now for some Christmas pics. I really don't like making pictures much lately, but we got a few this Christmas. Enjoy!

That is a cinnamon stick from Chris's cider. Brooks LOVES cinnamon. It's bizarre.

the dreaded antlers

Momma & Brooksie

unwrapping his gift

Brooks and his weasel-duck. And Santa & Mrs. Claus.

my guys

The spacing and captions are driving me crazy so I give up! Argh!

Med School-Letter One

Dear Med School,

It's me, Amanda Shubert. I believe you have taken my husband and I am writing this letter demanding him back. I have figured you out. You still have many people deceived, but I am on to you and your trickery.

When people find out that Chris attends medical school, we usually hear something like, "Oh, what a great career choice," or "Wow, you're gonna make a lot of money one day." Oh Med School, have you ever fooled people. You have crept into our marriage. You have become the determiner of where we live, when we will have children, and how often we get to spend time as a married couple. Sleep schedules are pure chaos because of you, Med School. Pagers, texts, emails, phone calls, it never stops. The ever-increasing cost of tuition-let's not go there. We all know that we will be indebted to you forever, Med School. Most conversations revolve around you, Med School. My husband spends so much time with you that he has a difficult time talking about other things. I know you are trying to take away his social skills too, but you are no match for me and my friend, Sociology.

Med School, you do have a lot of annoying characteristics, but I guess you really aren't all bad. After all, you have taught my husband an awful lot about, well, medical stuff. He is great at answering random medical questions from friends and family, and he even is good a diagnosing issues, too. I think he has probably saved many lives already. He also seems to be especially popular among the little old ladies. And one day, like fifteen or twenty years from now, the money will probably be worth all of your hassles. But until then, I will continue to fight you for time with my husband. And no, Med School, I am NOT ready to meet your older brother, Residency.

Until we collide again,

Amanda K Shubert

my guys

You & I

I love this song. So I am posting the lyrics on my blog, on a most appropriate anniversary weekend.

don't you worry, there my honey

we might not have any money

but we've got our love to pay the bills

maybe I think you're cute and funny,

maybe I wanna do what bunnies do with you,

if you know what I mean

oh, let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of france

let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters

and teach them how to dance

let's get rich and build our house on a mountain

making everybody look like ants

from way up there, you and I, you and I

well you might be a bit confused

and you might be a little bit bruised

but baby how we spoon like no one else

so I will help you read those books

if you will soothe my worried looks

and we will put the lonesome on the shelf

oh let’s get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of france

let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters

and teach them how to dance

let's get rich and build our house on a mountain

making everybody look like ants from way up there

you and I, you and I

oh, let’s get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of france

let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters

and teach them how to dance

let's get rich and build our house on a mountain

making everybody look like ants

from way up there you and I, you and I

by Ingrid Michaelson

Who me? No, I'm not a med student. I'm just here to tan.

Hippie Van (and Chris and me)

Not the winners, but definitely the best-dressed and most socially capable people at the conference. (Oh, and I am the only one in this pic that isn't in medical school.)

Hitchhiker

there's no need for captions

coffee & dog hair

I bought this coffee mug for Chris several weeks ago when he had the flu...Lori and I saw it and knew he had to have it. So, I bought it, but then misplaced it (imagine that) and then I found it and gave it to him for an early Easter basket gift. I thought he would think it would be ridiculous (especially if he knew how much I paid for it) but he loves it! Yay me! I know everyone will appreciate the fake smile of enthusiasm. I don't think he knew I was going to post this on my blog. Whenever he acts outrageous, he stops and says, "Please don't post that about me on your blog." But this isn't outrageous. It's nice.

the silliest smart person, part II

A few months ago, I posted about Chris's poster project. A few minutes ago, he got an email saying that he was chosen to speak in Galveston, Texas, in April! We didn't think he was going to get to go, since he didn't place at UAB. I am going to tag along, since the conference is at the Hilton Galveston Island Resort. Oh, also, Chris made a one hundred on his test today. Again. And we are going to eat at Chuck's with some Tuscaloosa friends. Good day!

So I didn't eat the cafeteria sushi...

Chris read my post from last night and called and told me that hospital cafeteria sushi is a bad idea, my parents don't need me to get food poisoning right now, lecture, lecture, lecture. It is not even raw fish sushi. The med student said the sushi chef makes it every day. I think it would be hilariously ironic to get food poisoning from hospital cafeteria food. I went to get a taco salad, but it was 2:45 and the cafeteria was out of tortilla bowls. I said, "Okay, I'll have chicken nachos instead." The cafeteria was out of chicken. So I got nachos with (cold) cheese dip and black beans and guacamole. I also bought two chocolate chip cookies and a THIRTY-THREE OUNCE REAL COKE! I hear people say all the time that regular coke is too sweet, once you get used to diet you won't like regular coke anymore, stuff like that. Let me tell you, fountain cokes are one of my favorite things on earth. Chris agrees with me, even though it is not healthy. At this point in my life, if my only addiction is regular coke, I think I will be just fine.

Much better day today. Attentive nurses and a very nice new physician. Thank you for all the prayers and emails and phones calls and text messages. It helps to hear from people! I am sure my blog posts will be more bizarre than usual because I am mostly trying to entertain myself. I bought the GRE study guide and vocab book. I was reading the vocab words, and I thought to myself, "Wow, I know almost all of these words! I must be pretty smart!" Then I really looked at how the book was organized, three parts: hard, harder, hardest. I was only reading the "hard" words. I guess I am not as smart as I think I am...

I emailed Chris this article (I email him sociology-related articles all the time, just to get on his nerves a little) and told him I could be a demographer. This is what his response was (notice I didn't edit):

it looks to me that we could take advantage of this situation and have children now while other women arent that way when the economy gets better and women quit there jobs to return to having children there will be many job openings for you since by then our children will be starting school. HA

He is so silly. I didn't email him to show him the greatness of the article (it isn't worth reading) but to show him that sociologists study demographics. Whatever.

I think I may go back to the bookstore tonight to buy some fun books. I can't really study right now, and it will be a few more weeks (at least) before we come home. Chris said that every time Brooks hears a car door he barks and runs to the door. That makes me sad. I know he doesn't understand what is going on. Chris won't admit it, but I think he is probably spoiling the dog. I would even bet that Brooks has been sleeping in the bed with Chris.

I just ate the two cookies and finished my coke...mmm good. I may start a new diet consisting of coke and cookies...Whatcha think about that, Dr. Shubert?

life is like paella....

Chris and I made paella Tuesday night, for the first time ever. It is one of our favorite dishes. It was difficult. There is no way I could have made it by myself. We didn't follow the recipe exactly. We used what they had at the grocery store. Publix was out of mussels and clams, so we used extra shrimp and scallops. And I didn't cook an entire chicken, I just roasted some tenderloins in the oven. We cut the recipe in half, but we still could have fed about eight people. The hard work was worth it. It was DELICIOUS! Chris said that paella is like life, you just gotta use whatever ya got.

What if I want to play Scrabble?

Chris has been coaching me about my "career development." I wasn't planning on having a career (I don't plan, remember?) but apparently I was supposed to do that sometime in the last four and a half years. Hmm. Anyway, Husband Chris Shubert* said that I SHOULD NOT apply to jobs in the classified ads. What??? He said to apply where I want to work. I guess that does make sense. He also said that I need to take a few weeks and write a personal statement to find out what I want to do, and that will help me decide about graduate school and what I want to do. Oh, okay. I wanted to get a part-time job and study for the GRE, but Husband Chris Shubert said that is a bad idea. He doesn't think I should make a move that isn't going to further improve my career.

So now that you know what Chris thinks, I will tell you what I think. I don't think I will look back on my life when I am eighty and think, "Wow, I sure am glad that I went to grad school so I could make $30,000 more a year," or "I had a great career!" My life goals are not at all centered around a career. I want a JOB, not a CAREER. For now, anyway. I want to work so we can do fun things, like travel and buy shoes. I don't know what I want to do for the rest of my life! How can a twenty-three year old decide what to do FOREVER? Nah, that is not my style. Right now my approach for developing my career is trial-and-error. I don't know what I want to do, so I am going to try some things before I make a commitment. Chris said that approach is much like my approach at checkers. I stink at checkers because I don't evaluate all possible moves. I told him that I like playing checkers, but one day I might change my mind and want to play Scrabble. (I rock at Scrabble.) He didn't care much for my response to his checkers analogy.

Chris and I have different perspectives (ya think?). It must be hard for him, because he has been called into a field that requires much planning and commitment (fourteen years of school). I know he just wants me to be happy and reach my full potential. And he worries about what I would do if something happens to him. I reassured him that I am going to grad school, and reminded him that there aren't any babies in our plans for at least five years. I think this comforted him somewhat, but I know it still drives him crazy that I don't have a plan. And I know this post will grind his nerves. At least he will have clean socks until I make a decision.

*Husband Chris Shubert is the way Chris is listed in my crackberry. I entered his name, and under title I entered "husband" so the crackberry dubbed him Husband Chris Shubert. So that is what I usually call him. Because it sounds so official.

happy (almost) birthday to me!

birthday sushidave as a walrus

Keetons&Shuberts

self-timer being used
cake

*the lighting in these pics are really weird and the green blog background doesn't help but I'm tired of messing with it. Oh well.

quit being a moron

Today I was walking Chris to class, and it was raining. I can't remember our exact conversation, but he said something inappropriate and I told him to quit being so moronic. He said that he couldn't. And then I tripped on the sidewalk. Oh, the irony.

the silliest smart person ever-or is he the smartest silly person???

Chris presented his research poster on Tuesday. It was judged in a contest. If he wins, we get to go Texas on a trip so he can present it again. In his research this summer, he and a physician and a PhD were trying to find a way to detect pancreatic cancer in early stages. I think it was successful. Chris will get two publications from the research, which is kind of a big deal. (I am sure Chris will leave a comment correcting my explanation of the purpose of the research, but I think I posted a good abstract of it. )