WOW! Have you missed me?

You know, every semester I think that I can't possibly get any busier. I have reached the limit; I have filled all of the hours in the day; I have exhausted the allowable amount of semicolons.

Every semester, I am wrong. Thus, it has been over two months since I've blogged. Here, at least. My book blog is the favorite child.

Anyway, many things have been happening. Updatesreadygo!

Christmas Break
We started out in LA and headed off on a cruise to Mexico. Other than being sick for half of the cruise (some obscene and torturous form of laryngitis), it was great fun. I am still trying to lose the weight I gained. I've decided cruises are a foodie's greatest dream and simultaneously greatest trap.

Obligatory Titanic picture.

Other than the food, the best part of the cruise was definitely the excursions. On the first day, we went to Cabo San Lucas and went snorkeling at Lover's Beach. Scott's wedding ring was swallowed by the Sea of Cortez, but we did get to see some cool fishies. Afterward we had Mexican seafood and shopped around. I bought a Mexican nativity to add to my slowly growing collection.

The next day we went to Puerta Vallarta and spent the first few hours at the beach, after which we had more Mexican food, and then on an "extreme canopy adventure." It was seriously one of the most adventurous and awesome things I have ever done. First we rode on a Zodiac for about 45 minutes across the ocean, then hopped in an old Army Jeep from WWII and rode up a crazy mountain trail. It was like Indiana Jones except REAL LIFE. Then we rode mules up the mountain further. My mule had a serious attitude and bit everyone until it was in the lead. Then we rode zip lines down an amazing jungle and went straight into a waterfall. I was a little wary of the zip lines at first because I have a friend who died on a zip line, but these were double-lined and secure and it was amazing. 

Indiana Jones Jeep

Scott had the slow mule

Awesome zipline!

Going down the waterfall

Jenna going INTO the water. Yup, we all had to do this. 

California and Christmas
After the trip, we went to Modesto/Visalia/San Francisco for a couple of weeks and hung out with Scott's family. It was my first Christmas away from my family, but Scott's family made me feel very welcome. All my presents were also from Anthropologie, so basically all of my wildest dreams came true.

Scott also had his interview for UCSF on the last day of our trip, so we went with his dad to San Francisco for a night. While Scott was being interviewed, Bill and I went to the science museum, Golden Gate Park, and Haight Street. Scott was underwhelmed by his interview, which was surprising for us because it was our first choice. While we love the city, the school didn't really do it for us.

UCLA
Scott had one more interview at UCLA, and we weren't really sure why we were going because he didn't seem that interested in the school. However, after his interview, he said he really thought this was the place, and I was excited because just driving around the campus had me excited. He was accepted a few weeks later, so this is officially where we are moving. I am already trying to plan restaurants to try and hospitals to apply to, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know. We will be in the Westwood area, and I have already located the two nearest Pinkberrys, as well as multiple Coffee Bean and Tea Leafs (Leaves?). I think I know where I'll be studying for the NCLEX! Also, Santa Monica beach. Hopefully by the end of this UCLA experience we'll have cute little baby people that we can take pictures of sticking their toes in the water.

Military
Scott also joined the Army. He is a 2nd lieutenant, and will be a 1st lieutenant when he graduates from dental school. So we don't know where we will be after dental school, but I love it. I am not ready to choose the place that we'll spend the rest of our lives yet -- I am excited to travel. There is a chance that he could be deployed for up to 12 months, but I am avoiding that in my mind for now -- no use worrying about it when it is so far away. The military will pay for all of Scott's dental school expenses and will also give us a living expenses stipend. I will still need to work to keep us out of debt, but it is definitely a huge weight off our shoulders.

As for me -- I am just trying to keep my head above water with school. I just finished my pediatric oncology clinical and now am about to start an adult oncology clinical. I will just be happy to be finished with school after 20 years of almost non-stop education.